Serendipity
by plockD
Summary: [College AU] "It's not the thrill of the chase. It's the sensation of aching to the very core. And Aurora ached for her." Through a series of events, Aurora Briars gets involved in a crime investigation together with her teacher and desire, Maleficent Minardi. But who is really behind the gruesome murders? Things are indeed seldom what they seem. Malora/some Philora.
1. Joe's

**Chapter 1 - Prologue/Joe's**

_It's not the thrill of the chase. It's not craving something forbidden, tabu, more than craving water, the essence of life itself. It's not even a sense of admiration combined with the beauty that she withheld._

_It's the sensation of aching to the very core. And Aurora ached, to the point of being ready to give anything to not have to feel that way._

_She ached to touch those brown, shimmering strands of soft hair. She ached to let her lips wander over that delicate, perfectly shaped neck. She ached to feel skin under her fingernails, to almost draw blood and hear the exquisite moans that would follow her actions. She ached, without knowing how it had happened. She'd read about similiar things, of course, although she'd never experienced immediate infatuation like this before. _

_The name itself lingered on her tongue like poison, refusing to be swallowed. Mal-e-fi-cent. It was always present, like the taste of coffee in her mouth after breakfast, and it stayed with her all through day and night._

_And the nights that followed felt longer than ever before. Eyes staring at an empty ceiling, a mind conjuring mental images that would have driven any man insane. Tossing and turning, night after night, she found herself waiting for next day's lessons, eager to get to class for a quick fix, like a drug. _

_All it had taken had been one night of tobacco-smoke-filled air and the taste of alcohol. Through a crowd of desperate souls aching for anything to feel alive, Aurora had found her. The letters J,O, E and S would from this moment on be burnt into her memory, for they represented the moment that everything, that Aurora had ever known about herself, seemed to evaporate into nothingness, replaced by mental images of acts she would never have allowed herself to succumb to, before._

_But before was not now. Now, she had to stand it, day through day. Lusting looks and the slow movement of her hips. A voice so hoarse Aurora felt her skin crawl with desperate need. Slender, beautiful fingers around pens of ink as Aurora craved those same fingers against her own skin. Desperate hopes of running into her in the corridors, or just maybe catching a glimpse of her in the parking lot; any situation where she could strike up a conversation would do, as long as she got to be alone with her, without distractions or anyone telling her she was out of her mind to want to pursue someone like Maleficent. She'd gone as far as to read endless amounts of Italian literature, just to make herself look smart and desirable in the brunette's smoldering. emerald eyes._

_It's not the thrill of the chase. It's the sensation of aching to the very core. And in the wee hours of the morning, just like throughout the warm, soothing last day of summer, Aurora ached._

* * *

_**Hope you all enjoyed this little prologue, the following chapters will be very much longer, delightfully so. Review or PM for thoughts! xx - D. **_


	2. Scotch

Aurora was _staring_. She was always _staring_, since the beginning of this year. Any excuse she could find, she used it to get to know the new teacher a little bit more. She was sitting in the back of the class, one leg hooked upon the other, rolling her pen between her fingers and, of course, staring. Her pulse was beating in her ears, and not once, ever, during these three years with Phillip had he made her heart beat this quick. She'd never before experienced how someone's presence, even for a moment, could make her pulse race so hard.

Professor Minardi was walking around in the classroom, her heels clicking, just like that night over at Joe's. She carried a pad in her hands, asking various people to translate paragraphs out of the book for her, and then writing down how well they did. Sometimes Aurora thought she was avoiding her on purpose; she'd never asked Aurora to translate anything. Since that night at Joe's, the only words exchanged between them had been Aurora's full name and the silent whisper of "Take a seat". Aurora did not understand, the woman had been completely different towards her that night. That wasn't the only thing she didn't understand, though. These feelings of hers, the mess of them, all these voices suddenly screaming inside of her, made absolutely no sense.

Aurora exhaled deeply and shot a look out the window. Her seat was in the back row, on the far left, just by the huge windows that made the sun shine onto her face. She closed her eyes, realizing that if she didn't start paying attention she'd most certainly fail this course – and nothing could be more embarrassing than that.

Out of nowhere Professor Minardi walked past her desk. The leather of her skirt brushed gently against Aurora's wooden desk, making the girl catch a breath in the back of her throat. Her eyes lingered on the Professor's legs and didn't move until she realized _she_ was being _stared at_. The moment Aurora looked up, Professor Minardi's eyes were on hers, clearly with an asking expression.

"Miss Briars, are we boring you?" she asked with a sensual British accent.

Aurora then realized everyone had turned around to look at her. Her mind went blank. _Words, words words_, she thought. _Any words will do_.

"Well?" Professor Minardi asked again, with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"No", Aurora whispered, then coughed to get more volume out of her voice. "No, of course not. I was just thinking about that last paragraph, about how I would have chosen a different set of verbs." _Brilliant bullshit_.

Professor Minardi raised her eyebrows and gave Aurora one of her most beautiful smiles, with a hint of a _dare_. "Well then, would you be so kind and tell us how you would have translated, since you seem to be so utterly full of inspiration and energy today?"

It was sarcasm. Of course it was. Aurora's mind was screaming, asking her what on earth she thought she was doing. This was no way of getting the new teacher to like her; she would most likely think she was an ignorant brat with no respect. She took a deep breath. "Yes, of course. Um, personally I would probably use _credere_ instead of _pensare_, since I interpreted the text as if the man speaking was pointing out a profound opinion of his, rather than it being a thought. I just, I thought…" Whilst Aurora spoke Professor Minardi's eyebrows rose even higher and her hand travelled up to her collarbone, massaging her neck with her slender fingers, "… Well, I thought the important part was the opinion, and not the statement that he was thinking before he expressed his opinion." _What did I just say_?

Professor Minardi smiled, then tilted her head to the side, smiling. "Grazie, Aurora. You're absolutely right. Thank you for that observation." She actually smiled with her teeth and gave Aurora a look of positive surprise before turning around to proceed through the classroom – a smile Aurora recognized from a couple of weeks back.

"_Hi", Aurora said shyly but with a hint of confidence. _

_The brunette next to her turned her head towards Aurora, then looked behind her before meeting her gaze again. "Hello." She was clearly confused._

"_I saw you come in", Aurora continued, smiling mischievously. _

"_Yes, yes I did", the woman stated, and giggled. "How very observant of you." _

"_May I buy you a drink?" Aurora continued, blood pounding in her ears but trying her best not the make the woman realize how incredibly nervous she actually was. It didn't help that all of her friends together with her boyfriend were staring at the two of them from across the pub. _

"_I already have one", the mysterious new Professor responded and looked at Aurora from head to toe. "But, I wouldn't mind another one." _

_What? Aurora was sure she was kidding. "Right", she replied, then laughing nervously. "Of course, what would you like?" _

"_Scotch", the woman replied, giving Aurora that same mischievous look as Aurora had given her. "On the rocks." Instead of staying upright, she sat down on one of the empty bar-chairs behind her and crossed her legs, her dress inching a bit higher above her knees. Aurora's gaze darted down before returning up to the Professor's eyes. She could feel her cheeks burning. This was such a bad idea, what the hell had gotten into her? _

"_I would not have guessed that", Aurora smirked, then turned towards the bartender and made the order, adding a beer for herself. She then turned towards the woman and raised her hand. "I'm Aurora." _

_The woman kindly took her hand and shook it, squeezing just a little bit too tight. "Maleficent." _

"_What?" Aurora whispered, then laughing awkwardly. "I'm sorry, I didn't get that?" _

"_Maleficent", the brunette said calmly, still holding Aurora's hand in her own. Her finger suddenly brushed Aurora's hand. "It's ancient. My mother was a big admirer of history, whereas my father would've named me something more traditional, like Francesca." She finally let go of the girl's hand. _

"_Your father's Italian?" Aurora asked, although already being quite sure of the answer._

"_Yes, but I was born and raised in London", she replied, still smiling beautifully. She brought the scotch up to her lips and took a sip; Aurora's eyes following her every move. She let the glass linger by her lips, then put it back down and licked her lips. "Oh, that's good."_

_Aurora didn't know what to say. She was completely mesmerized. Not only did her new teacher, Maleficent Minardi, look amazing, she seemed like a really sweet person as well. Suddenly she realized she had been staring into the woman's eyes for far too long without saying a word, and coughed a bit. _

"_What do your tattoos mean?" she asked and pointed at the woman's arm. She was indeed curious about them._

"_They mean that something mattered to me", the woman replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. _

"_Oh, so mysterious", Aurora smiled. Great, couldn't have thought of anything else could you? "So, what brings you here?" _

"_The college", she replied, her eyes staying on Aurora's neck for a second or two, then coming back up to meet her gaze. "I'm taking over Italian in the linguistics department; Harry thought it would be a good idea. Harry – the man I came in with… who, by the way, should be back any minute." There was a hint in that last sentence, although it wasn't an awkward one, more like 'I'd like for you to stay but unfortunately I have company'. _

"_I see", Aurora replied, suddenly realizing that she was indeed going to have to pleasure of being in the Professor's class. "Well, I will probably see you there then", she said with a hint of mystery in her voice._

"_Oh?" the Professor asked, crossing her legs a bit higher. "Are you teaching there as well?" _

_Do I really look that old? Aurora thought. "God, no, I'm a student here", she laughed, then realized the brunette looked like she had been struck by lightning. All of Aurora's confidence suddenly dripped out of her head down to her toes. There must have been a look of panic on her face as she quickly tried to come up with some words. "I mean, I'm studying biology and psychology as my main subjects but I've chosen French and Italian to get a bit of foreign culture into it all, so I guess I'll be seeing you." She tried to appear confident. It was obvious from the look in the brunette's eyes that she did not succeed. _

"_Well then", she said softly, then taking another sip of her Scotch. "If you are indeed one of my students, you may not call me Maleficent but Miss Minardi, if you please." Whilst saying her last-name, her voice suddenly became a bit deeper; not much, but enough for Aurora to notice. "Your friends seem to be waiting for you." _

"_What?" Aurora asked, then turning around, only to realize Phillip was waving his hand at her, as if to tell her to come back and sit with them. "Oh, them. Yes, uh, I should indeed go." She hadn't touched her beer, too excited about the fact that she was actually speaking to this gorgeous woman._

"_This whole buying a drink thing…", the brunette started as Aurora turned towards her, "… was some kind of dare on the part of your friends, was it not?" _

_Busted, but her accent made Aurora melt. She sighed, then smiled widely like she sometimes did at herself in the mirror when preparing herself for a presentation. "It can be whatever you want it to be", she whispered, her voice as husky as she could make it, yet not too flirtatious. She raised her hand yet again, as did the brunette. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Minardi", she whispered, making sure that it was her finger, this time, brushing the Professor's hand. _

_Professor Minardi clearly felt the gentle movement of Aurora's index finger. She looked down, still smiling, then directed her honey-green orbs right at Aurora's crystal-blue ones. "Likewise, Aurora." _

The bell snapped Aurora out of her trance as people started fumbling with their desks and bags around her. She had been so lost in the memory she hadn't even realized she had been staring out the window for probably ten minutes or so. Nevertheless, Professor Minardi had realized. As Aurora was gathering her things she heard a dark voice, merely a whisper, behind her.

"Miss Briars, may I speak to you for a moment… or two?"

Aurora couldn't turn around faster, seeing exactly who she expected to see. Her Professor was sitting on an empty desk behind her, hands on the wood, legs crossed just like in the bar, only this time her skirt was even higher. _Eyes, eyes, eyes_, Aurora thought while biting her tongue, _just look at her freaking eyes, legs, God, what's wrong with me_? "Well, I really should be going –"

"This will only take a minute", the Professor insisted sharply, straightening her back and crossing her arms in front of her chest just a bit too tight. Aurora's eyes wandered.

"I've noticed these first few weeks that you do seem oddly distracted during my classes", she continued, suddenly with a look of worry on her face. "When I met you that night, even under casual circumstances, you seemed like a very bright and well, confident girl. Is there something going on that I can help you with?"

_Yes_, Aurora thought. _You can help me by letting me take you for a drive and just talk to you through the night. You can help me by getting off your high horse and admitting that you were flirting with me that night_. "No", she replied softly, smiling. "It's nothing really, I'm just stressed and this is the first time I'm living together with someone. I find it a bit, well, it's just a lot more invasive then I thought it would be." _Why did I say that? She did not need to know that_.

"Oh", she replied, then twirled a strand of her dark hair around her index-finger. "Well then, off you go." She got up, nodded, and then started walking towards her own desk and things. Aurora's eyes couldn't help but travel from the click of her heels onto her calves, her knees, her thighs, her -

"Until tomorrow, then", she said whilst walking away.

Aurora looked up, but the woman hadn't turned around. Her back was to Aurora, and she was packing things into her black leather bag. "Until tomorrow", Aurora whispered, then hurried out as fast as she could.

It was final. From the night she had met Professor Minardi, for reasons she was not even sure of herself yet, Aurora was indeed in hell.

* * *

Phillip exhaled a deep breath, smiled and curled up around Aurora, his arm over her side, hand resting on her bare stomach. He rested his face in her hair and let his eyes fall closed. "You've been kind of quiet lately. Is everything all right?"

"God", Aurora muttered, staring at the wall from where she rested, in their bed. "You're the second person to ask me that today." Her own hand rested loosely on Phillip's but now moved up to her pillow and crawled under it.

"Oh", Phillip sighed. Aurora sounded irritated. "Who else is concerned about you?"

Aurora glared at the nightstand next to her head; her Italian books piled up there. "Maleficent", she replied, not sure whether or not she wanted Phillip to know.

"Who?" he asked.

"Professor Minardi", she answered harshly, then realizing no-one else probably knew her first name. "She asked if I was all right after class. I told her and I'm telling you, I'm fine." She closed her eyes, hoping Phillip was smart enough to let go of the subject and finally let her sleep. The clock on the nightstand shined brightly. 1.32am.

"Maybe you should talk to someone", he whispered.

Aurora's eyes shot open and she rose a bit to look at him. "About what? To whom? What are you saying?"

Phillip looked genuinely surprised and tried to calm her down by slowly caressing her forearm. "I'm just saying, you seem all stressed. I mean just now, I felt like you were flying somewhere else."

"It's 1.34am and I have biology at 8.15 in the morning", she grunted, rolling her eyes. "Excuse me for not wanting to please you at this hour."

That shut him up. His deep brown eyes stared at her with a hint of sadness, but he knew her well enough to know that it was time to let it go. He put his head back down onto the pillow, and she did the same, back turned towards him.

"Goodnight then", he said, moving his hand back to her stomach.

"Goodnight", she said, but her eyes stayed open, staring at the alarm clock, for she knew that the minute she closed her eyes, Maleficent would be the only thing she'd see.

* * *

**I figured I'd write since I had the time. The next chapter, which I will try and post tomorrow, will contain a twist revealing a bit more of what awaits Aurora and Maleficent. I hope you enjoyed this second chapter! x - D.**


	3. Clarice

Maleficent awoke to the sound of loud banging on her door. At first she was sure she was dreaming, but as the banging continued, she realized it had nothing to do with her vivid dreams of her past lesson and a certain conversation with a young blonde. She rolled over to check the time on her phone; 5.24am. Her alarm was set for 6.30.

"Are you bloody joking", she muttered as she violently threw off the covers, got up and fumbled around in the dark to find her grey robe. She wobbled to the door whilst throwing it on and nearby screamed as the banging continued. As she unlocked it and put on her most angry face, she found a soaked Diaval standing outside, carrying a cardboard holder with two cups of coffee in one hand, and a brown folder in the other.

"Please tell me I've won a million pounds", she muttered and leaned against the doorway.

Diaval didn't smile. Most of the time the sight of Maleficent, still sleep in her eyes and her hair messier than ever made him smile, but not tonight. He smacked the folder across her chest and entered the apartment past her. "If you find any bills in there you're welcome to keep them, but I expect you'll be disappointed." He walked straight into the kitchen and placed the coffee on the counter.

Maleficent looked down at the folder in her arms, then turned around and shut the door after her. "Harry, do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do", he answered and took a sip out of one of the coffees. "It's time for you to take a shower and stop moaning."

She turned the folder and saw the initials of the Hanover Police Department. "What the hell is this?" she asked, looking confused.

"There's been another one." That was all he said, and that was all he needed to say. Maleficent looked up at him from under her dark lashes, and he recognized to look of horror on her face. "Sweetheart, shower. Now. Before your coffee gets cold."

* * *

Five minutes later Maleficent walked out of the steaming hot bathroom, her hair tied in a towel. Diaval was sitting on her couch, smoking one of those electric cigarrettes and staring into oblivion, which was her black TV-screen. She grabbed her coffee from the counter and slid onto the couch next to him. He was quiet, breathing out the water-vapoured smoke.

"I'm not sure I want to look at that", she whispered. The folder was on the glass-table in front of them.

"Well, I need you to", Diaval replied and turned to look at her. He put his cold hand on her warm one and squeezed lightly. "You know I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important, but the truth is that there are way too few people in this town who have the psyche to deal with shite like this."

"Who was it?" Maleficent asked, leaning back onto the couch and closing her eyes. She had horrible mental images in her mind.

"Early twenties, blonde", he replied silently. "No identification yet."

Maleficent's eyes flew open and she grabbed the folder. She opened it quickly and frantically started going through it, but she couldn't find what she was looking for.

"Behind the last page", Diaval muttered. "Don't worry, it's not _her_."

"Who?" she asked, finding the last page and all of the crime scene photos gathered there.

"That blonde from the bar", he replied. "Miss Briars." He glared at her and could actually see her relax while breathing out a heavy breath, obviously calming down a bit. He figured her heart must've skipped a beat.

"And whyever would I think it could have been her?" she asked, although realized quickly she should have let it go. She didn't feel like confessing to Diaval.

"Because I saw the way you looked at her that night at the bar. You looked like you used to look, or, your eyes did. Your smile. She touched you somehow, made you shine a bit brighter than you have in a long time. And you've only been here for a couple of weeks, I hardly think you've made your acquaintance with lots of blondes in such a short period of time." He took another sip of coffee, expecting some sort of snotty reply, but it never came.

"Saw that did you?" she whispered, feeling her cheeks blush a bit. "Please don't do my head in about this."

"I wouldn't even dream of it", he smiled, stroking her shoulder. "But I have to advise you not to act on it, it is as frowned upon as something could ever be, especially here."

"Oh, don't be daft", she replied with a hint of a smile. "_I_ wouldn't even dream of it."

There was the snotty reply he had been expecting, and to his surprise it actually made him smile aswell; something he hadn't expected to do at all that night.

"How'd she die?" Maleficent asked, staring at the folder in her hands. She couldn't bring herself to read through the report – not just yet. It had been a long time since Diaval had consulted her in any way concerning his cooperation with the police, whenever they were handling cases where psychological profiling was the best key to making an arrest.

"Asphyxiation", he replied. "There was a blow to the left fontal lobe, probably caused by a brick that we found at the crime scene, but that's not what killed her. She couldn't breathe."

"God", Maleficent sighed and closed her eyes yet again. "Oh, I thought this part of our life was over."

"So did I", Diaval said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the first one. All of us figured it had been a one time thing, robbery, since the first victim's things were missing, but this… this MO is exactly the same. It's sloppy, but it's the same. But I'm not saying we're looking at a serial."

"Good, don't", Maleficent said harshly, looking at him piercingly. "This could just be a coincidence." _I know it's not, but never hurts to try_. "What exactly do you need me to do with this? I hardly think the Hanover PD needs the opinion of a linguistics-teacher. This isn't the Scotland Yard, you know."

"I know, but you don't have to worry about that", he replied, giving her a gentle smile while stroking her hand with his thumb. "All I need from you, is to take a day or two, and just look through the material. Look at the pictures, read the reports, tell me if you see anything that I might've missed. My notes are in the middle. Just because you gave up on criminal psychology doesn't mean you're not any good, love." He got a kind look in return. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Yes, please", Maleficent replied, closing the folder. "I'll take a look at it when I'm done with my classes. I don't think I'll be able to sleep any more tonight for that matter. But do keep me outside of this, please. I don't want the press running after me, now that I've begun to feel like I'm getting my life sorted out, for once."

"I will. Do you wish to tell me what you're sorting out, exactly?" He raised his eyebrows, once again expecting something sharp, but she simply stared at him.

"I might be having a reaction to that student", she whispered after a long silcence. _He's going to eat me alive_.

"_A reaction_?" he laughed, rubbing his chin. "Gosh, is that what we call _fancying someone_ nowadays?"

"Oh, shut up", she replied and playfully hit him. "I don't – I mean, I really don't know what's going on with me. I sincerely just – she caught my eye that night, before she'd even come up and talked to me. Something in her eyes and being just absolutely drew me to her. And I know her friends probably dared her to do it since they saw me with you, but… Harry, you know when you haven't felt anything in a long time, and suddenly you realize that you are feeling again, and it's fun and fluttering and incredibly warm in your chest?"

"No, I don't", he replied, looking down.

Maleficent fell silent. She should have formed that question in a more sensitive way. It had barely been a year since her sister and Diaval's wife Julianne had died, leaving Diaval alone with their seven-year-old daughter. "I'm sorry", she whispered, putting her arm around him. "I know you miss her. I miss her too."

"Every day", he whispered.

"And every day", she repeated.

* * *

Aurora, too, awoke that morning, but not from a banging on a door but from the gentle sounds of the washing-machine. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and went to turn towards Phillip, but to her surprise he wasn't there. She wiped her hair out of her face and looked at the alarm clock. 6.48am. Her alarm was going off at 7am. She reached for her phone, and swiped it open to shoot Phillip a text. She shouldv'e expected this. Now that she recalled, she had been a bit harsh last night, and none of it had been Phillip's fault. Of course he was concerned about her, even she was concerned about herself.

'_Hey babe. Woke up without you. Where are you? Sorry about last night. Had a bad day honey.' _

She put on a pair of Phillip's joggers that were lying on the floor on her side of the bed, then put the phone into her pocket and made her way into the bathroom. The laundry-machine was indeed on, and she slid down onto the floor in front of it, resting her head against the machine. She'd never realized how amazingly calming the humming of the laundry was before she'd read _Silence of the Lambs_ by Thomas Harris during a literature course. When she'd read the part about Clarice Starling resting against the machine she'd thought her crazy, but then having tried it herself, she could see why. It was soothing, it was nice. As the machine vibrated against her back, her phone vibrated in her pocket against her leg.

'_Library. Went on a jog with J. It's OK babe, figured. See you later. Love you'_

By J he meant John. Aurora let out a sigh and forced herself off the floor. For some reason, this felt like one of those mornings when she just wanted to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over her head. That was, until she remembered she had Italian in the afternoon. The thought made her stomach flip and she suddenly felt nervous. She hurried past the piles of moving-boxes back into the bedroom. Never before had she really worried about what to wear at the college, and now that she felt worried, all of her clothes seemed to magically disappear or shrink. _Typical._

* * *

Diaval parked his car on the east side of the campus, behind the psychology department. Maleficent was wearing sunglasses, sipping searing hot Starbucks coffee. She had dozed off into Diaval's lap on the couch but only for twenty minutes or so. She felt sleep-deprived and exhausted with too much on her mind. Diaval's eyes were red and his raven hair was a proper mess.

"It's going to be a long-arse-day, isn't it?" he muttered, turning off the engine.

Maleficent looked over at him and forced a smile, caressing his cheek a bit. "It always is, Harry. We'll be okay. Come over for a drink in the evening if you feel like it. I'll propbably be here until five, half six at the latest." She opened the door and got up, grabbing her leather LV-bag and jacket from the back seat. Diaval locked the door, then walked around the car and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before parting ways.

* * *

"Esme!" Aurora yelled in the hallway, running after the big pile of black hair. "Esme, hold up!"

Esme turned around where she was standing with Jasmine, and smiled brightly at Aurora. "Well look who decided to turn up. You know you're late for you class, don't you?"

Aurora slowed down as she closed in on them. "Yes, I'm aware, thank you", she said, catching her breath. "Look, I need to talk to you, like, right now."

Jasmine and Esme exchanged looks, and Jasmine threw her hands up in the air. "Nevermind, I'm supposed to be in criminology anyway. Phillip's already there with John, so see you girls later, yeah?" She grabbed her bag and started strolling through the sea of students down the corridor.

"OK, what the hell is going on with you?" Esme asked, turning towards Aurora. "You've been acting like a spooked up ghost for the last two weeks, you barely say anything, Phillip's worried about you, he says you haven't even slept together in two weeks, and may I just say, that is not all right when you've got a guy like Phillip living with you, and – Aurora, are you even listening to me?!"

Aurora's eyes were gazing past Esme's head to the end of the hallway. She'd spotted Miss Minardi walking in through the doors connecting the corridor to the main hall. Her brown weavy hair fell openly on her shoulders, she was wearing a tight black button-down with a white undone tie around her collar. The shirt was tucked into a pair of dry-washed Diesel-jeans and she wore black leather boots with heels that made that usual clicking sound. The sunglasses covered her eyes though, and Aurora frowned; she'd never seen her in sunglasses. She was reading something, a magazine or a folder, holding it in her hands as she walked.

"Are you going to freeze every time you see that woman?" Esme asked, slapping Aurora on the shoulder. "This is getting riddiculous."

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about", Aurora answered, looking away from Miss Minardi. "I've got something going on and I really don't know who else to talk to about this." She heard her voice break. "I'm just so confused and I can't speak to Phillip about this because he won't understand, and Jas would probably just think I've completely gone crazy and – "

"Aurora, calm down", Esme said softly, taking her hand in her own. "Tell you what, we'll skip biology and go out for a soda, all right? Then we can talk."

Aurora was silent for a bit, then smiled and squeezed Esme's hand. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea, I just have to text Phillip that I won't be waiting for him after class. He'll find us later."

* * *

The first thing Maleficent saw when entering the corridor was the bright, golden, shining hair of Aurora Briars, standing by the crossroads between two corridors. She was wearing a white tight t-shirt with cut shorts of denim. Around her neck she carried a wide golden necklace that matched her earrings. She was taller, due to the white heels that she'd put on this morning. Maleficent groaned – the girl looked gorgeous - and thanked God she was wearing her sunglasses so that the girl probably couldn't see her looking at her, but just as the thought entered and left her mind, Aurora's bright blue orbs looked directly at her. _Shit. Shit shit shit_. Maleficent tilted her head down into the folder Diaval had given her and pretended to read, hoping the gruesome images would keep her cheeks from becoming a bright shade of red. Of course they didn't, and she pretended to cough. Aurora seemed to be having some kind of dispute with her dark-haired friend. _Is that her girlfriend?_ Why would she even have a girlfriend, Maleficent didn't know what she liked even though she had a feeling about Aurora. Maybe she had just made it all up, maybe the girl had just been friendly that night. _Maybe._ No, no, she'd definetly been flirting with her. Had Maleficent flirted with her? She was losing it.

Out of nowhere Maleficent felt a sharp elbow in her ribcage, and the sudden impact made her drop her Starbucks together with her bag and folder. Everything sprawled onto the floor around her and she bent down, hissing from the pain.

"Christ on a cross, what the hell are you doing?!" she screamed at the young man who had run into her. It was Matteo Gaggia, one of the foreign students who were in her Italian class.

"Mi dispiace, mi scusi, Professoressa", he gasped, but did not stop in his tracks. "Sono in ritardo, mi dispiace ma devo andare!"

"Ricorderò questo!" Maleficent yelled after him, then held both of her hands onto her side. "Son of a bitch…" It really hurt. Gaggia was a strongly built boy and the impact that she'd suffered had been far from minimal. She actually felt tears in her eyes, realizing her sunglasses had fallen off her nose together with everything else.

"Are you all right?"

Maleficent recognized the angel-like voice in front of her and looked up, straight into those sky-blue eyes. Aurora wore a look of worry on her face, her hand outreached as if to touch her, but she didn't go all the way. Instead she withdrew her hand, bent a strand of golden locks behind her ear and looked down at the mess on the floor. Without saying a word, she bent down and started collecting Maleficent's things. Esme was peeking at them from behind the corner.

"Aurora, there's no need – "

"It's fine", Aurora interrupted, "let me do this, you're hurt."

"It's just a bruise", Maleficent mumbled, utterly moved by the girl's kindness – until she realized Aurora's hands were nearing the folder Diaval had given her. "Aurora, don't-"

Too late. Aurora had turned the fallen photographs around and let go of them as soon as she saw what they were. Maleficent hissed and bent back down, feeling guilt wash over her, and as she looked at Aurora's face, the girl's eyes were wide with horror. She sat there, bent onto her knees, staring at everything on the floor. Esme had snook up on them from behind, and now saw exactly what Aurora had seen.

"Dear Lord, what is that?" she exhaled and Maleficent turned her head to look at her. Esme had brought a hand up to her mouth to cover her gasp.

"That", Maleficent begun, scooching the photographs back into the folder, "was something neither of you were supposed to see, and also something neither of you can talk about, do you understand?" Her question was merely directed at Esme, who nodded slowly, then backed away.

Aurora hadn't moved. She stared at the folder, then turned her head to stare right into Maleficent's green emerald eyes, and Maleficent met her gaze, realizing no words needed to be said. Aurora reached out and put her hand on Maleficent's, which was resting on the folder on the floor. She gave it a light caress, as if to say '_It's all right, I can handle it_', but at the same time her beautiful look spelled the words '_I can't take my eyes off of you'_. Maleficent's lips opened slightly, exhaling a breath, until Aurora moved her hand away and got up. "I'll see you this afternoon", she said huskily, then smiled innocently and continued down the corridor to find her friend.

"Right", Maleficent replied, although Aurora didn't hear her. She exhaled completely, closing her eyes, not caring about the students passing her where she sat on her knees in the corridor, her whole life spread out on the floor in front of her. Aurora's touch lingered on her skin and she could smell her sweet, fresh scent. She silently cursed both herself and the girl as she gathered her things and hurried towards her classroom. She, too, was indeed late.

* * *

*_Mi dispiace, mi scusi, Professoressa, sono in ritardo, mi dispiace ma devo andare:_ I'm sorry, excuse me, I'm late, I'm sorry but I have to go.

*_Ricorderò questo:_ I'll remember this.

**Gosh, long chapter, but now it's been revealed what this story is going to be centering around. I hope you enjoyed this & I'd like to thank everyone for the reviews, I find them most helpful when writing, knowing I'm on the right track! PS: more Malora moments to come, but the rating won't go up just yet! x - D**


	4. Beauty

**Woop, long chapter again, but with a hint of a warning; this chapter contains explicit information about the crimes, although I don't consider it myself to be worse than what we see on CSI. Yet, you have been warned. Also, time to bring on the Malora-fluff. I almost can't wait to post chapter 5, which is already written. Might just upload it tomorrow if I can wait that long. Again, thank you for the reviews and the PM's, I'm so flattered! X - D.**

* * *

During the next few weeks, Maleficent managed to tiptoe around Aurora as well as possible, if not counting accidental brushes and lingering looks in the classroom. The orange and red leaves of autumn had began to fall onto the lawns around the campus, and with autumn came the cold wind. Maleficent found herself drinking more and more coffee everyday, whilst sleeping worse every night, most likely due to the excess amount of caffeine. Her mind, brilliant and always thinking, was occupied – and not just with Aurora Briars, who day by day crept deeper and deeper underneath her skin with her beautiful laughter, hypnotizing eyes and golden locks, but also with Diaval's folders, now three, resting on her desk.

The college had been kind enough to grant Maleficent an office of her own in the basement of the psychology department; right next to Diaval's office. She found it comforting; whenever she felt herself get buried under too many essays or just thoughts in general, she'd knock on the adjoining door between their offices and lie down on his black leather couch. And he'd stay with her, sometimes into the late hours of the evening, just talking, keeping each other company. The office had a downside though; it was right opposite the campus gym, which was one of those traditional, bunker-like underground halls. One morning Maleficent had arrived early, figuring she'd hit the gym before throwing herself into her work. Unfortunately Aurora and her friend Esme, or _the girl with the furry hair_, as Maleficent had named her in her head, had been in the gym at the same time, boxing in the ring. While Maleficent had taken a break during her benchpress-sets, she'd caught a glimpse of a sweaty, flustered Aurora, throwing a punch right into Esme's abs. At the sight of Aurora's sweat-covered triceps and shoulders, Maleficent had groaned a bit and left before completing her set. She'd even driven home to shower, since fate seemed to like messing with her, she'd probably have run into Aurora in the shower as well. And _that _was something Maleficent figured would just be too much for her psyche to handle.

One morning when Maleficent strolled down the stairs to the basement, she realized the door to her office was left open. _That's strange_, she thought. _I could swear I closed it last night. Maybe the cleaners just forgot. Oh well_. She gently pushed it open and looked around. Nothing seemed to be out of place. The dusty shelves filled with books were just as dusty as before, and her gym bag was still resting in her own armchair. The couch, though, looked like someone had been sitting there. Maleficent walked closer and glared at the table in front of the couch. There was something that _didn't _belong there.

She put her LV bag down onto the couch together with her trench coat, and bent down. On one of the piles of books resting on the table was a book she had indeed not purchased nor borrowed herself. On the cover there was a man in a suit, with grey hair and a look full of wonderment and sadness. He was sitting on a couch, and on his left side lay a woman, topless. She frowned, but as she turned the book around the read the title, she felt a flutter in her chest. She recognized the name, but had never seen the movie nor read the book. It was _The Great Beauty_ in its original language, Italian, written by _Paolo Sorrentino_ and _Umberto Contarello_. Inside the book there was a pink wide bookmark, just by the end, and as she opened the book she recognized the elegant handwriting on the bookmark.

'_I thought you'd enjoy this. Sometimes it's more than all right to get away from academia. – AB.' _

A smile spread across Maleficent's face, a smile so wide it almost reached her ears. She giggled by herself, exhaled and shook her head. _That little mischievious minx_, she thought to herself. When returning her gaze to the book and the page on which the bookmark had lain, she found that Aurora had underlined a part with a bright yellow colour. She frowned and brought to book closer to her face.

'_It's all settled beneath the chitter chatter and the noise'_, Maleficent translated in her head, _'the silence and the sentiment, emotion and the fear. The haggard, inconstant flashes of beauty'_. She took a deep breath. Inconstant flashes of beauty. Could Aurora mean her? She held the bookmark up to her nose and tried to recognize the smell, but it smellt of the pages of the book and not of Aurora Briars. She read the lines a couple more times to try and understand, then snapped herself out of it, realizing she only had 20 minutes until Diaval and the Sheriff would be arriving to hear her thoughts on the recent horrible events.

* * *

"Have you seen this?" Jasmine asked and splashed the newspaper right in the middle of the table in the cafeteria. It nearly knocked over Esme's bottle of juice and she cursed silently under her breath, but as she saw the headline, she quickly forgot. Aurora peered from the other side of the table at the newspaper, which was upside down to her, and even Phillip and John were snapped out of their soccer-conversation. "I'm really freaking out about this", Jasmine added.

Aurora grabbed the newspaper and turned it around to get a better look. "_Third victim found in Connecticut River – does Hanover have a serial killer on its hands?_" Aurora shut up as soon as she had read the headline. There was a huge picture of police cars together with pathologists and a crime scene unit, the area cut off by yellow tape. Jasmine was waving her hand, as if to tell Aurora to continue. "_The series of gruesome murders in the Hanover area doesn't seem to come to an end. Police force reveals the finding of a third victim, this time in the Connecticut River, but refuses to share any more details concerning the circumstances or the investigation itself_."

"They should give a statement", John muttered. "I mean, people wanna know what's going on don't they?" He looked at Phillip, who just stared right back at him, looking as confused as everyone else.

"_This is the third young woman to be slain over a period of two months_", Aurora continued. "_Two fishermen found the body floating in the north side of the river and claim the sight to have been horrific. The police have refused to give any statements on the victims, but what has been revealed is that they're all in fact young women in their twenties and students of Dartmouth College. Needless to say, a layer of fear has settled on the school." _

"Is there nothing on the victims, like names or anything?" Esme asked. "I don't understand how they've managed to keep this a secret."

"No, there's nothing", Aurora replied. "But it does say here that the Sheriff's department is bringing in outside specialists to determine the best way to proceed in catching the person, who's committing these unforgivable crimes." Aurora looked up at Esme, who looked right back at her, as if reading each other's thoughts. Esme raised her eyebrows and nodded at Aurora, who softly shook her head and shot a glance at the others sitting by their table.

"Well, I'm gonna go get myself some icecream because this is just plain depressing", Jasmine stated. "Boys, are you coming?"

Phillip and John silently got up and took their treys with them, but Phillip stopped to give Aurora a kiss on the back of her head. He then followed his friends to the other side of the cafeteria, and Aurora let out a deep breath of relief.

"We have got to talk to her", Esme stated as soon as the others were out of sight. "Like, right now. Aurora, we need to ask her what's going – "

"No", Aurora replied with a firm tone. "She's not some undercover FBI-Agent, that's stupid. Don't you remember her saying that we weren't allowed to talk about what we saw?"

"Just because we're not allowed to talk to others doesn't mean we cannot ask _her_ about this", Esme grunted. "I mean, come on, she showed us those pictures, it's her freaking fault anyway now that we know. Can't we just go pay her a visit and ask her to give us some information on this? She can't expect us to see something like that, and not want to know what the hell is going on. I mean, soon we won't be able to walk around campus without being scared for our lives. And do you remember that strangled and smashed girl in the photos? She was blonde, beautiful, just like _you_, Aurora. And now she's laying in the morgue, being propped open and investigated like a piece of meat. You don't want to end up like that, do you?"

Aurora stared at her with her mouth agape. "Did you really just say that to _me_?"

"Hey, whatever floats your boat, sweetie", Esme replied, raising her hands into the air. "Look, you'll jump at any chance to get close to Miss Minardi, won't you? Jump at _this_, then."

Aurora sat silent and stared at her friend, recalling a conversation they had shared after Aurora had helped a broken and bruised Miss Minardi a couple of weeks ago. She had confided in Esme, telling her about her confusing feelings concerning their new teacher, telling her how she only seemed to feel alive in her presence, how she thought of her many times a day and how sometimes she was the highlight of her day. She'd spoken of her wishes to get to know the woman better, to just get to talk to her in private and not with some excuse of conjugating ancient verbs. Esme had managed to flip the conversation completely upside down, stating that Aurora probably felt some sort of admiration and even jealousy concerning the new teacher, reflecting her own hopes of her future onto the teacher, as if seeing Maleficent Minardi as the perfect example of what Aurora wanted to become one day. Esme had said it was completely normal, that she felt admiration all the time towards her female teachers and that Aurora shouldn't be worried just because this was the first time she was feeling this. _Yeah, except it isn't completely normal to want to strip you Italian teacher out of her skintight clothes and just ravish her on her desk_, Aurora had thought. Of course she hadn't said that to Esme, and she couldn't, especially now that she was staring her right in the face, begging Aurora to take her and go and see the object of her desires.

"Allright, but you do the talking", she groaned, trying not to smile at Esme's satisfied expression. "But I swear to God, if you embarrass me I will never ever in a million years forgive you."

* * *

Maleficent stared at the white board in her office. She had covered it with crime scene photos, notes, headlines and additional reports she had managed to get her hands on, thanks to Diaval. He and the Sheriff arrived a quarter late, stumbling into her office with coffee in their hands, both apparently sleep deprived due to the newest victim. Maleficent greeted the Sheriff, Carlings, by firmly shaking his hand and giving him a bright smile. Just as most men, he too evaporated into thin air in front of her.

Diaval sat down onto Maleficent's couch with a copy of the folder he had given Maleficent. The Sheriff on his part sat down on the chair in front of Maleficent's desk, and looked at her impatiently. It was apparent that he was at the brink of desperation, just like Diaval. Maleficent remembered commanding Diaval not to say the case would become serial, but here, as expected, it had.

"All right", Maleficent began, picking her own copy of the folder up into her hands. "As you know, Sheriff, Professor Diaval asked for my help due to my background in criminal psychology. But I would like to say that I in no way wish to be part of this investigation any further than I already have been. I'm just going to point out what I see and let you boys do what you do best. Does that sound good?" Her question was directed at the Sheriff, who nodded silently, clearly amazed by Maleficent's ability to stand her ground even when she was on foreign ground.

"Did you find anything I didn't find?" Diaval asked, staring at the board. The photos still made his skin creep.

Maleficent looked at him with an apologetic look. "As a matter of fact I did find a few things within the files. Now, as you assumed the first case was a robbery, we now have to determine that it indeed was not. And Harry, you're absolutely right about the fact that it was staged, as if to cover up the real intention with the murder, which was, well, the experience."

"Excuse me?" The Sheriff asked, looking like he'd been smacked. "_The experience_?"

"Yes", Maleficent said as Diaval nodded. "Here, let me explain… You see, there's no direct sexual element. The victim was not raped, she was simply hurt by the blow to hear head, and then strangled. But here's the fun part, or, whatever you wish to call it. The pathology report concluded that when she was strangled, she was gripped from behind. That is highly unusual, because when there's no sexual element to the crime, it tends to be about power. And through studies about killers who merely used the strategy of choking and strangling their victims, the rush is the look in the victim's eyes. So my question is, why do it from behind? The killer misses all the action. And the answer…" Maleficent strolled over to the desk to retrieve the second file, "is in here. Gentlemen, if you please, turn to page 8, second paragraph from the bottom." She was referring to the pathology report of the second victim.

Diaval frowned and read the line out loud. "The victim had bruises around her ankles, the origin of which not determined, but appear to be caused by pressure. No skin-tissue found. On the victim's back there were scratches, most likely from stones and sand on the ground. Victim's clothes were ripped in the back, most likely due to crawling on the ground." Diaval looked up at Maleficent, as did the Sheriff.

"He's experimenting", she stated calmly, waiting for a reaction. "With the second victim, he probably bound her feet to keep her from getting away, then strangled her from behind, and removed the rope afterwards before leaving the scene of the crime. Gentlemen, this is a rookie, as you call them over here. He's experimenting, trying to find out what he likes. This isn't at all that unusal, serial killers usually find their preferred _modus operandi_ after a few victims."

"But what about the third one?" the Sheriff asked. "Dumping her into the water, is that what he likes to do now?"

"No", she replied, putting the file back onto her desk. "The final pathology report hasn't come back yet, but the initial one stated that the victim probably had been in the water for a period longer than two months. There's been no ID yet, but I bet our victim found in the river is Jessica Roberts, that girl who disappeard from Norwich at the end of July. That means, our third victim is actually our first. He panicks and dumps her into the river, probably weighted her down somehow due to the scrapes around her ankles, and the murder even happened outside of his comfort zone, that's why he tried to dispose of the body. Now, he's beginning to find where he wants to experiment, and what kind of victims he's looking for." Maleficent looked over at Diaval for confirmation, who gave it to her by nodding and closing his eyes, then softly rubbing his temples.

"I see", the Sheriff murmured, clearly shocked by the amount of information he was being forced to process. "What can you tell me about him?

"He's in his twenties or thirties, caucasian, male", she replied. "He hasn't got a disability or any sort of disformation on his face, because the way these girls were abducted suggests he knew them or was sneaky enough to get close to them without raising any suspicion. He's handsome, with great social skills. And he won't fumble around much longer. He will become methodical, sharp, which will make it much harder for you to catch him." She exhaled deeply, then leaned against the front of her desk. "I'm sorry that's all I can give you."

"No, no, it's - it's good." The Sheriff gave her a small smile and got up to shake her hand. "I believe, at your request, Professor Diaval alone will continue helping us with the profiling. But I must ask, with kindness, that if you find anything else helpful in there, do let us know, please. This is a small community. When this gets out, there's going to be a witch-hunt and I don't want to see the wrong people get terrorized due to the fear of the public."

"Of course", Maleficent replied, then turned towards Diaval to ask him to stay when she heard a loud thump in the corridor, and then something that sounded like muttery swearing. She gave the men a look to excuse herself and hurried towards the door, which, she realized, Diaval hadn't closed properly. As she slid the door open a bit further more, she caught a glimpse of gold, black and boots disappearing up the stairwell.

_Oh my God_, she thought to herself. _That did not need to happen. Fuck. Fucking fuck_.

* * *

Esme tried catching her breath as she and Aurora reached the ground level of the psychology department, making sure neither Miss Minardi, Professor Diaval or the Sheriff had followed them. She took a couple of deep breaths, staring at Aurora with eyes wide open, and Aurora's expression looked like the reflection of Esme's mind.

"I don't think we were supposed to hear that", Aurora mumbled, then grabbed Esme's hand and led her out of the hallway into one of the empty lecture halls. "I don't think we were supposed to hear that at all. God. She is going to murder us."

"Maybe she didn't see us", Esme breathed, wiping some sweat off of her forehead.

"Maybe she _did_!", Aurora snapped. "That was such a bad idea. That was the worst idea in the history of bad ideas and this is all your fault!" She suddenly felt herself getting really angry. If Miss Minardi had indeed seen them, she must've realized it had been her and Esme. She'd spent so much time looking at Aurora these few weeks that they could probably recognize each other in their sleep. And now that she knew they had been eavesdropping, she could forget all about Miss Minardi appreciating her little gift, and especially all about getting to know the subject of her confusement even more closely, mentally and… _physically_. She leaned her head against the closed door and closed her eyes as well. Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts. The weight of the information they had overheard together with the complete embarrassment of getting caught was just too much, and she slid down the wall into a pile on the floor. Esme joined her, leaning her head on Aurora's shoulder and taking her hand in hers.

"You know, what we heard…", Esme began, squeezing Aurora's tiny hand, which had grown incredibly cold. "Are you scared?"

Aurora stared into nothing in front of her, her eyelids feeling incredibly heavy. With her other hand she brushed a strand of Esme's hair out of her friend's face. "I'm terrified."

* * *

**I hope I didn't gross you out. But oh, get dowwwn with Malora. Until tomorrow! X - D.**


	5. Cravings

**Note: Yeah, allright, I know I updated like 14 hours ago or so but I'll be off le comp for a couple of days now, but if it helps, I've written Chapter 6 and just need to beta it. For those expecting Malora, oh you'll be getting some. Is it totally wrong for me as well to be excited? I centered this chapter around Aurora so you wouldn't think I've painted her as a soulless, no bad concience-girl. I hope you enjoy this! Includes minor adult themes, still rated T. X - D.**

* * *

The unfortunate incident called eavesdropping had taken place on a Friday afternoon, which meant Aurora hadn't seen Miss Minardi for two days now. Needless to say, she had been frantically checking her phone all weekend, expecting an angry call or text from an unknow number, but to her disappointment, her phone was dead silent, beside the normal chatter from her friends and boyfriend.

Phillip. Aurora thought of Phillip. Something had changed within her, and she knew that he could feel it. He had stopped trying to get close to her, showering her with kisses, bringing her flowers without any apparent reason. They barely spoke when they were at home, and during these last days Aurora had realized, that Phillip, someone she did love deeply, had begun to feel like a roommate. The thought that maybe that was all he was to her now saddened her deeply, and made her search herself for some kind of romantic spark towards him, but she wound up empty-handed. How it was possible to feel so deeply for someone she'd never kissed, and fall out of love with someone she'd loved for so long she could not comprehend. _Yes_, she thought. _I've fallen out of love with him_. But she also knew that _that_ in itself was _not_ a good enough reason to give up on a relationship they had worked on for over three years now.

On Monday morning, Aurora woke up, gratefully, alone. She clicked on the screen of her phone and saw that she had received a text from Phillip.

'_Run with J, then gym. Showering at school. There's pancakes in the fridge. Last night was amazing babe, I love you.' _

Like an invisible hand strangling her, guilt gripped her and she threw her phone onto the bed next to her, then buried her hands in her hair. She loved him, she did, and did not want to hurt him like this. The sun shone onto her face through the curtains and warmed her face, making her cheeks burn a bit. But they also burnt from the memories of last night.

_Phillip was on top of her, kissing her neck gently and nibbling his way down her body. She held her hands by the headboard, staring at the roof, hearing the clock tick next to the bed. His hands moved everywhere on her body and she cringed, desperate not to let him know what she was feeling. When she closed her eyes she imagined herself in another place, in another time, with strands of dark hair covering her face, the smell of sensual perfume in her nostrils, the feel of something smooth and light against her thighs… _

Aurora exhaled deeply and rolled onto her side, staring at the orange leaves hanging on the tree visible through the curtains. For the truth was, Phillip did not feel like what she needed to feel. The rough, strong hands that touched her were not soft and delicate, with long slender fingers drawing circles onto her skin. His lips were not plump and full like the lips she wanted to feel on her neck, on her face, on her mouth. His chest was hard, tanned and muscular on top of her body, not soft, heavy and pale like she wished for it to be. And she hated herself for it. She hated herself for not being able to come up with a reply to Phillip's text without feeling like the worst liar. And in a situation as such, the best thing she could do was to go and take a cold shower before preparing herself for social psychology before lunch.

* * *

Aurora and Esme had not exchanged words about Friday's incident, not once during the weekend, and as they saw each other on campus, a silent promise between them had been made. Esme had always been the tomboy, but seeing as Aurora seriously cared about her image in the eyes of Miss Minardi, Esme had sworn the secrecy – concerning everything about Aurora. They linked arms in the yard as they walked together towards the building that housed lunch, and Esme went on about her deep crush on Professor Diaval. Aurora found it funny that Esme was in her shoes, yet did not recognize that what Aurora was feeling, was indeed the same feeling Esme had about their psychology Professor. Although Aurora doubted Esme's feelings were as serious as hers towards her Italian beauty. She was going on about Professor Diaval's dark eyes and gorgeously messy hair when Aurora's eyes locked onto one of the college clerks, waiting by the entrance doors to the building they were headed to. To Aurora's surprise, the clerk's eyes were locked on hers as they approached the doors, and even Esme seemed to realize something was going on.

"Miss Aurora Briars?" the clerk asked, stopping them at the door with his gaze.

"I am", Aurora answered, feeling a bit of panic in the pit of her stomach. The only time the clerks were visible to the students was when they were on the path of hunting someone down for some kind of mischief. Needless to say, this clerk had reached his target.

"Professor Minardi requested me to fetch you for her", the clerk explained, shooting a gaze at Esme, whose face had turned into a horrid grimace as she'd heard what his business was.

_Shit. She's not supposed to be in today. She's going to slaughter me. What am I wearing? Am I going to get expelled? Oh jesus christ, this is not happening. Damn it, damn it, damn it. _All in the blink of an eye, and Aurora swallowed hard, then glared at Esme as if to say 'go on without me, if you never see me again you know in whose closet my skeleton will be'. Esme nodded slightly.

"My instructions are to personally escort you to her office, it's in the building of the psychology department", the clerk continued.

_Yes, I know where it fucking is, what does she want?!_ Of course Aurora knew what she wanted, she merely could not understand she'd actually been summoned. She'd always imagined it a pleasure, being summoned by Miss Minardi. This, though, was as far from her imagination as it could be. She felt her lower lip tremble as she tightened the hold on her bag and turned towards Esme. "Don't say a word to anyone."

Esme nodded again, then stayed on the steps to watch as the clerk hurried across the lawn with Aurora on his heels. She threw a final glance at Esme, then turned forward and followed, just as she was supposed to. Esme sighed deeply. _This might either be the luckiest day of Aurora's life – or the worst,_ she thought to herself before continuing into the cafeteria to find the rest of the pack.

* * *

The clerk might as well have been running. Aurora followed as fast as she could without turning her walk into a run, but as she descended the staircase that led to the basement, and Miss Minardi's office, her pulse quickened, not out of the walk but out of fear. The clerk stopped dead in his tracks, as did she, right outside the door of their destination. He knocked twice, then opened it slightly. Aurora stayed behind him, face turned away from Miss Minardi's office.

"I have a Miss Aurora Briars here for you", the clerk said softly.

"Yes, thank you. Send her in."

_Oh, icy tone_. Aurora took a deep breath, forced a smile and walked into Miss Minardi's office, right past the clerk, but as she walked in, her smile faded.

Her teacher was standing by the couch, that was next to the table that Aurora had placed _The Great Beauty_ on. Her back was to Aurora, and she was wearing a white, slick jacket together with a black, leather skirt that hugged her form perfectly. Her hair was tied in a tight bun without a single strand loose. The only source of light in the room were the narrow windows, hardly twenty inches high, directly underneath the ceiling. It was the perfect basement-office, with it's perfect inhabitant. Aurora's breath caught in her throat and her eyes lingered, as usual, from the slender feet in high heels, to the curve of her-

"Aurora", Maleficent said sotly, but with a hellishly firm tone. "Come here."

Aurora knew not to argue. Her teacher's arms were crossed across her chest, again, too tight, and she seemed to be taking deep breaths herself. Aurora took a couple of steps forward. And then a couple more. She didn't stop until there was nothing left but two steps between her and the brunette in front of her. She thought about closing the distance but didn't dare push her luck. She noticed her teacher's fingers twitching where they lay against her clothed ribcage. Was she contemplating whether to touch her or not?

Maleficent knew her gaze was piercing Aurora's beautiful blue orbs, and she intended it that way. She didn't mean to frighten the girl, but she couldn't afford to play these games with her. If detailed information about the investigation got out, either her or Diaval would be blamed, and that was something she could not risk. Therefore, she let out a breath and pried her eyes away from Aurora and onto the couch. "Sit down."

Aurora walked past her, and once again, blood was pounding in her ears. She sat down onto the soft couch, almost in the same spot she'd sat before leaving the book, then let her gaze drop to the table. Her book, now her teacher's book, was still there, but the bookmark was in another place, which meant she'd read it, or at least a bit of it. The thought warmed Aurora's chest, but didn't brush away the cold feeling in the office. She suddenly realized Miss Minardi was simply looking at her, actually down at her, since she herself was still standing.

Maleficent recognized a flicker of fear in Aurora's eyes, and decided that she herself too, had to stop playing games. "Aurora… do you know why I asked to see you?" she asked, her voice almost hoarse. She _hadn't_ intended it to come out _that_ way.

"I think I do", Aurora replied. _Oh to hell with it, honesty's the best policy_. "If this is about Friday, I'd actually like to explain." _If you slap me, please do so gently_.

"Oh", was all Maleficent managed to utter, her lips staying slightly parted. She saw Aurora's gaze dip from her eyes down onto her lips and then back up in no more than a second, but since Maleficent had spent quite some time studying Aurora's ice-blue diamonds, she recognized the movement. She shook her head slightly as if to snap out of it, looked down, then walked around the table to sit down next to Aurora on the couch. She made sure to stay in her own corner, her legs almost brushing Aurora's.

"I know you saw me", Aurora started, looking at her teacher for confirmation. She did not move a muscle. "Or merely, you saw us. The thing is…" She dropped her gaze to the floor, suddenly feeling incredibly shy and embarrassed. "The thing is, one of my friends showed us the newspaper that same day, and, uh, that same friend of mine is getting kind of frightened. So Esme, the dark-haired one…"

_Oh, the bomb. Funny_, Maleficent thought, keeping herself from smirking but listening intently, actually pleased about Aurora's confession.

"… Well, since we saw the photos that day Matteo ran into you, she figured you'd know something more about the investigation. I think she was just searching for something to ease her mind, it's a horrible situation. She managed to convince me to come and talk to you, since you, apparently, for reasons I really can't understand but that's your business… Well, you are somehow involved, so to ease our minds, we finally decided to come and ask you, well, she wanted to ask you. And, you know…" _Why am I stammering?_ "That's what we were doing. Outside. Your office. Um, we wanted to talk to you when we heard you and Professor Diaval and the Sheriff. I did say we were not supposed to hear that, but I'm sure you can understand. Miss Minardi, I am so sorry. We should not have been there - here, I should not have been here and in no way did I mean to intrude. I was just curious, I suppose." She heard her own voice starting to shake and felt her lip quiver. "I really am sorry, I feel so embarrassed and I didn't know whether you wanted to see me any –"

"Aurora", Maleficent said softly, moving her hand over to Aurora's, gently placing her palm onto those cold, slender fingers. "It's all right." She got a shocked stare in return and Maleficent smiled brightly. "You sweet girl. Human curiousity is not something I judge, on the contrary; I find it most healthy and intriguing. And _I must say_, you're very brave. If I were in your shoes I'd most likely be terrified."

Aurora glared down at Maleficent's hand on hers, as if it was burning. Maleficent made a move as if to take her hand away, and before she even realized what she'd done, Aurora had grabbed a hold of it. "I am", she replied, meeting the brunette's gaze. "I was. I mean, you can be scary, but…" She felt her confidence slowly drizzle back into her, "in my eyes, you're just strong. Grounded. I envy that."

Maleficent smiled, Aurora's words warming her up in a way she hadn't felt in a very long time. This, them holding hands, should've felt inappropriate, but in a weird way, Maleficent felt calm. The blonde beauty in front of her made her feel at peace at the same time as she threw her into a turmoil of emotions. "I see", she sotly answered. "That's not – What I meant to say is, I called you here today to make sure that you understand how important it is that you don't go around telling every bloke about the things you and that hairba- your _friend _heard. Eighty percent of the men in this town are in their twenties or thirties and caucasian. We do not need a witch-hunt. We need to let the police department do its job."

"Of course", Aurora responded. "That goes without saying. I wish you didn't feel the need to tell me that. I'm a clever girl, _Miss Minardi_."

Maleficent's breath hitched at the sound of the blonde pronouncing her name slowly, letting the last letters linger on her tongue. Her thoughts wandered to an area that was not allowed, and she felt a sudden blush on her cheeks; a blush Aurora must've seen, because she was suddenly smiling widely. Slightly panicking, Maleficent got up and turned around towards her desk, hiding her face. She walked over as if to fetch something from one of the drawers, when the truth was that she felt she was melting to the very core as Aurora looked at her.

Aurora was struck by the loss of physical contact with the woman, but inside, she was fluttering. Was her teacher blushing? _God, she's so lovely_. Aurora stared at her backside until she turned around, gently smiling at her.

"Aurora, I", she began, looking down at her hands, then exhaled sharply, smiled, looking back up at the blonde, "I wanted to thank you. For the book, I mean. It was very kind of you. It was, uh, a pleasant surprise."

_I did not expect that_. "You're welcome." It was now or never. Her teacher seemed to be in a place she'd never seen her in before. Aurora got up, gathered all the confidence she had and closed the distance between them until she could feel the other woman's breath on her face. She smellt like something sensual and something beautiful, and her lips were again slightly parted. Aurora's eyes shot down for just a moment, catching the irregular movement of her Professor's chest; she was breathing fast. Aurora stared right into those hazel-green eyes, looking for any sign to tell her to close the final distance between them. _Say something. Say anything. Tell me you want this. Tell me you crave me as much as I crave you_.

She did. She did, of course. Aurora's presence, so close, was too much for her. She felt goosebumps on her skin at the thought of Aurora closing the distance between them and suddenly her jacket felt too tight. Aurora's eyes were resting on her lips. And automatically, Maleficent's gaze fell down upon Aurora's pink thin ones. Before she could comprehend what had happened, Maleficent had opened her mouth and uttered the words: "I have to go check, um, the, I- I left something in my car." She turned her head away and walked to the other side of the desk to get her bag. _God, just get away from here before this completely gets out of control. Am I trembling? I think I'm trembling. Gosh, I cannot feel my legs_.

But her backing down didn't defeat Aurora, for now she had something she hadn't had before; confirmation. Maleficent's gaze falling to her lips was all she needed to know, that she wasn't the only one fantasizing. She took a deep breath and turned towards her teacher, who was scrambling to find her car-keys. "Me and my girlfriends are going over to Plush in Norwich on Friday", she said softly, catching her teacher's attention. "If you feel like a drink… _Scotch_ or something… You know where to find me." With that, she shot a daring gaze at her teacher, then strolled on out of her office, deliberately adding a sway to her hips. Needless to say, Maleficent noticed.


	6. Skins

_**I freaking caved. Malora is ON. Once again, thank you everyone who reviewed, and once you've read this chapter, I'd love to hear what you think is going to happen, like, what kind of feeling this story has to it. Obviously I can't answer that because I myself have it ready, but I'm very interested in hearing the thoughts of everyone who took the time to read this. Lots of love! XX**** - D.**_

* * *

_Maleficent's gaze was met by clear, blue orbs. Aurora was staring right back at her, with a look of determination on her face. They both heard the doors of the classroom close, meaning they were the only two people left in it. Out of a need to stop what was about to happen, Maleficent started backing up, but Aurora followed. The edge of her desk met the back of her thighs, and automatically she let her body lean on the papers and notes. Aurora was but two feet away from her. The courageous girl placed her hands on either side of Maleficent's hips, capturing her there. She leaned in, and Maleficent closed her eyes, preparing herself for the impact of lips on hers, but it never came. Instead, Aurora hovered by the shell of her ear, her t-shirt brushing against Maleficent's jacket. And she stayed there, until Maleficent released a whimper and a hoarse "Please". _

"_Tell me you crave me", Aurora whispered into Maleficent's ear. _

_She pressed her eyes shut even harder. The girl's scent was everywhere; it was in the air she was breathing. She swallowed hard, realizing her legs were trembling. "I crave you", she finally admitted, turning her face so it was pressed up against Aurora's golden hair. She felt the tip of the girl's tongue trace her earlobe, sending shivers all the way down to her toes. Aurora's hands moved to her wrists, holding her body in place by the desk. _

"_Beg me", she whispered into her teacher's hair. _

_Maleficent felt Aurora breathe in the smell of her hair as she felt herself succumb. "Please." _

Maleficent's eyes shot open at the feeling of lips against her neck, but as reality hit her, she was alone. She was staring at the ceiling, no Aurora in sight. She turned and saw a bottle of wine on a glass table. _Her_ glass table. She was laying on her couch and as she recognized her surroundings, she shrugged. She remembered coming home from work, opening the bottle of wine, laying down on the couch and… falling asleep. _I need help_, she thought to herself as she began rubbing the daydreams out of her eyes.

The situation had become unbearable since Aurora had been summoned to her office. Maleficent spent her lessons prying her eyes away from Aurora – as if there was no one else to look at in the class of almost thirty students. As much as she tried to devote herself to the art of literature and the melody of the language, the slightest movement Aurora made never went unnoticed.

_This has got to stop_, she thought and took a sip straight out of the bottle. She glared at the clock on the microwave in her kitchen, across the living room. 7.58pm. A life without pleasure felt like no life at all, but even in the most intriguing of situations, she was an adult who had the _responsibility_ to do the right thing. There was always something going on between students and faculty, it was no secret – only she had made herself a promise to always treasure her work ethic, which was flawless… until now.

After a couple of deep breaths – and the illusion that she had indeed reached a decision to put an end to this before someone got hurt – she reached for her cellphone and chose Diaval's name out of her contacts. Raising the phone to her ear, she felt a flutter in her stomach. She was nervous.

"_Hello?" _

"Put on a clean shirt and get over here", she muttered, knowing her tone would be enough for Diaval to take her seriously, and that he loved her enough not to let her down.

"_Excuse me?" _

"Clean shirt, get over here", she exhaled. "We're going out."

* * *

"Have you lost your bloody mind?" Diaval shouted from the living room, twisting a bottle of beer in his hands.

"No, not that I can recall." She walked out of her bedroom holding a white low-cut dress to her robed form. "Do you think this would be all right?" Diaval simply stared at her. "Oh Harry, don't be such a spoil-sport. What's wrong with the faculty having a little bit of a fun?"

"Oh, nothing wrong with that", he admitted, taking a sip. "It's just that, having a little bit of fun with your _students_ is, well, a situation I feel quite obliged to advise you to avoid."

"I'm just going over there to talk to her", Maleficent explained as she walked back into her bedroom. "This… whatever it is, just cannot go on. You know me, nothing has happened, but I certainly feel that the situation is headed that way and we both know it cannot come to that."

"Needless to say", he replied, staring at his bottle. "Do you think she will survive this?"

She froze, staring at her closet. Biting her lip, she pulled out a black dress. "Of course she will. That's why I figured tonight is the right time. Tomorrow is Saturday, and if me making things clear will, in any way, feel harsh she'll have the whole weekend to process it, won't she."

_Good point_, he thought to himself, although throughout the evening he had found it hard to suppress his amusement. "I still cannot believe you fell for a student."

She marched out of the bedroom again, holding the black dress in her hands. To Diaval's surprise, her smile had faded into a more serious look. "Well, I did. But it is my responsibility to make sure that as far as it has gotten, it will go no further. What do you think?"

He got up and walked over to her, took the dress from her hands and held it up against her chest. With a hint of a smile, he let his black eyes meet hers as he brought a hand up to her face. "I think I will feel pretty privileged, going out with a woman dressed in something such as this."

She returned his courtesy with a grateful smile.

* * *

"She's not coming", Aurora muttered and tried her best to resist the urge to rub the humid, smoke-filled air out of her eyes that were itching from the fact that she'd been staring at the entrance to _Plush_ for an hour and a half now.

"You don't know that", Esme comforted, giving her a playful tackle with her elbow.

"Oh, I know", Aurora replied. "She's too proud. Too proper to ever give into something she wants. I should've known."

"Yeah, you should've", Jasmine replied, earning an annoyed look from both Aurora and Esme. She shrugged it off by swallowing her blueberry-shot. "Well let's be honest. This was never going to happen in the first place and I really feel horrible about doing this behind Phillip's back. Just because the boys are at the cottage doesn't mean that it's okay for you to be here waiting for her, Aurora. That's –"

"Not your problem", Aurora cut in, swallowing the rest of her beer while leaning her head onto the palm of her hand. "It's not working out. It hasn't been working out since we moved in together."

"You and I both know that's not the reason", Jasmine replied, looking at Esme for confirmation, but as Esme was the one who knew more about what was going on with Aurora, she chose to remain neutral. "It's just… It's Phillip. You two have been together for so long. I just think you should forget about this. Just because you have a crush on a woman doesn't mean she feels the same way –"

"Oh, she does", Esme chuckled, this time earning an annoyed gaze from Jasmine.

"Okay, so she does", she continued. "But she is still your teacher. _Your teacher_. I mean, come on, you even call her _Miss Minardi_, not Mal- Malle-, what was it again?"

"Maleficent", Esme and Aurora answered at the same time.

"Yeah, _Maleficent_", Jasmine went on. "You know how the work ethics are around here. So she feels the same way, so what? She'd have to wait until you've graduated, and neither of you is going to keep this up for another two years. I'm sorry, Aurora. Phillip loves you, and him you can be with."

"Do you honestly want me to be with someone who doesn't make my heart stop?" Aurora asked, knowing romance and poetry were weak spots for Jasmine. "She makes me feel _so alive_. I get goose bumps when she's near me. Does John give you goose bumps?"

Jasmine looked down at her empty glass, then bit her lip. "Sometimes. Okay, I see where you're headed –"

"So let me go there", Aurora said, this time looking at her. Her tone was firm, but she made sure to say it in a way that made Jasmine understand she appreciated her concern. "It's your round. Get us some beers?"

"Sure", Jasmine replied, grabbing her purse and making her way through the crowds. As soon as she'd disappeared into the sea of people, Esme nudged her head against Aurora's shoulder.

"I feel you, you know", she whispered, Aurora looking down at her. "I just don't want to see you get your heart broken. You don't know what that feels like."

"I can't imagine anything being worse than this", Aurora replied, shooting a glance towards the entrance, yet again. "I'm just at a point where I need to know what my life is going to look like, from now on. And once I know, I can make some sort of sense out of it all. I'm so frustrated all the time. I feel like I freaking see her everywhere, even when she's not there. I literally look for her when I'm walking down the street."

"I understand", Esme replied, staring at the dance floor. Aurora's feelings were somewhere along the lines of what she herself sometimes felt about Professor Diaval, whereas she had learnt to put her wishes in a different box than reality. Except Professor Diaval was reality. He was right there, in front of her eyes, on the dance floor. "Aurora", she gasped, catching the girl's attention and pointing towards him.

"Oh, shit", came Jasmine's voice from behind them. Her gaze was locked on someone a little past Professor Diaval, and as Aurora looked where she was looking, through the smoke and the flickering lights, she recognized a certain profile and a set of dark, perfect eyelashes. Miss Minardi's hands were above her head, showing her tattoos, swaying to the beat; the same beat Aurora could feel in her throat. Her teacher was dressed in a black, short, tight dress and her hair was fixed into a loose ponytail with the exception of a couple of strands falling around her face.

Esme and Jasmine exchanged looks, both of them trying to hide their surprise as well as deciding whose job it was to get Aurora out of her chair and send her on her way to deal with the situation at hand. Luckily for both of the girls, Aurora grabbed the beer Jasmine had brought her, swallowed half of it at once, then got up faster than a wolf after a rabbit. Jasmine opened her mouth to express her judgment, but Esme stopped her by lifting her hand.

"Just let her get some kind of closure to this, will you? I want her to."

Maleficent recognized the bright golden hair approaching her and Diaval through the smoke and the crowd of dancing, grinding ravers. Aurora's hair seemed to shine even more in the flickering of the white and turquoise lights, and her white dress looked as if it was glowing. She gently caressed Diaval's hand, giving him a hint to move away from her so that she and the girl could have a private moment to talk. He immediately understood and made his way towards to bar.

What Maleficent hadn't expected was for Aurora to be so utterly bold. As soon as the girl reached her, she grabbed her by the hips and pulled her so close their bodies were pressed up against each other. Due to Maleficent's thin dress, she caught her by the hipbones and now softly guided her to move to the music.

"Aurora", she began, her mind on her mission, but the girl pressed her index-finger against her full lips and shut her up at once. Surprised by the lack of fear on Aurora's part, she simply stared into the girl's eyes.

"_Non parla_", Aurora whispered, slowly lowering her hand and moving her face closer to her teacher's. "_Voglio solo sentirti_." Hearing the girl speak was probably the most erotic thing Maleficent had ever experienced. Her hand slid down Maleficent's body, all the way down until it was resting against the small of her back. Slowly, she started drawing circles with her fingertips as she knew she could feel them through the thin fabric of her dress, at the same time moving them to the beat. She felt a surge of victory as her teacher's hands gently rested against her own lower back.

Shivers covered Maleficent's skin as she struggled to find the proper words to express her resistance. Aurora was much too close, the feel of her body sent Maleficent's thoughts into a swirly mess. This was _not_ how it was supposed to go. She had it all ready in her head, even the exact phrases she was going to use to explain herself. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth.

"Aurora", but once again she was cut off by Aurora's hand on her mouth. Only this time, Aurora replaced her hand with her lips, and softly kissed the corner of Maleficent's mouth. She trailed a path all the way down to her neck and softly bit the skin right above her collarbone – and she could swear, she felt her teacher tense up. Moving her head back up to the side of her face, she trailed the outline of her ear, ready to go for the kill. But as she prepared herself, the song changed, and so did Maleficent's mind.

"I'm sorry, I can't."

It was but a whisper, but Aurora heard it, and before she could stop her, Maleficent had bent down to retrieve her purse, then turned her heel and began to fight her way through the dancing crowd, headed for the door.

As the cool night's air hit her face, she realized how incredibly hard it had been to take proper breaths inside the club. Everything outside was quiet, the music felt distant. Realizing her plan had not succeeded, she started searching for her keys while walking towards the parking lot to find her car. But as she walked, she could hear the distant clicking of heels behind her.

"Miss Minardi!" a familiar voice called out behind her. "Miss Minardi, hold up!" Aurora stopped to slip out of her heels in order to catch her before she got into her car. She picked them up, then continued running barefoot. "_Maleficent_, I'm talking to you!"

That stopped her. She hadn't yet found her keys, but her car was only a few feet away. Aurora was right behind her.

"Do not walk away from me", the girl ranted, suddenly feeling an unexplainable rage inside of her. "Look at me", she hissed, never felt so serious in her life.

Maleficent turned as she felt raindrops on her arm. Aurora was standing in front of her, heels in her hand, wearing a look of silent desperation. Her golden locks had messed themselves up during her run. Maleficent inhaled sharply, looked down, and decided there was no other choice. "Aurora", she began, trying to sound as determined as possible. "This, whatever it is, that has been lingering in the air… This is _over_. I cannot pursue this. This isn't – I appreciate you and I consider you very important to me, but that's all –"

"No, you don't get to do this!" Aurora exclaimed, stamping her bare right foot onto the ground. "You don't get to _look_ at me, and _touch_ me, and, and, and _look at me like that_, and then pretend that you don't want me. You don't get to do that." She took a couple of steps forward as Maleficent backed up. The alcohol was strongly affecting Aurora's brain, but she figured she really didn't have anything left to lose. She couldn't go on in her current state. "Look, you remember that night, at Joe's?" she paused, and Maleficent nodded slightly. "I saw you. I really _saw_ you, and you are beautiful. And I didn't understand you, but God, I loved you. Right away, I did."

Maleficent felt like a bucket of cold water had just been poured all over her. Aurora's words were visible in her eyes – a silent plea to say anything to ease her mind, and as Maleficent stood there, feeling the rain on her bare arms, she saw a tear roll down the girl's cheek. Guilt gripping her again, she raised her hand to wipe the tear away. "Hey…" she whispered, but within a second Aurora had grabbed ahold of her wrists and pushed her up against the car. The cold metal hit her backside and she gasped, utterly chocked by Aurora's actions.

"I know this isn't what you had planned", Aurora whispered gently but keeping her teacher's hands in a much too tight grip. "I know you didn't want this, but you do, don't you? I feel you, all the time, wherever I am. I don't know what this is, but wanting to be close to you can't be wrong, can it?" She sought Maleficent's eyes for a similar look as that day, in her office. "I ache for you, Maleficent." She gently released her hands, and brought her own hands up to her face, caressing her cheeks with her thumbs. "If you say you want nothing to do with me, I won't believe you."

Maleficent could smell her breath, and she didn't know whether it was the plea in Aurora's voice, or the fact that they were standing much too close, outside in the rain, but as it all weighted down her shoulders, she felt herself soften. She kept her hands pressed up against the door of the car, and slowly began to realize that lying wouldn't do either of them any good. Aurora's hands slid onto her shoulders and traced her collarbones.

"Tell me you _crave_ me like I crave you", she whispered into her ear, remembering that day in Maleficent's office.

_I do_. Her daydream flashing before her eyes, Maleficent's hands shot to Aurora's hips and twisted them around before the girl realized what had happened. With all of her strength, Maleficent trapped her there, between her and the car, and her left hand slid down Aurora's body, grabbing her leg by the knee and lifting it up so that her thigh was pressed against her hip. Her skin was slippery from the rain, and she felt incredibly light. Aurora looked frightened and she searched Maleficent's eyes for reassurance, but her eyes were on Aurora's parted lips.

"I do", she whispered, leaning in so that their foreheads touched. "I do, I _crave_ you." She parted her own lips and pressed her eyes closed, but as she went to finally close the forever-lasted distance between them, a desperate and hopeless cry for help shot through the cold night's air.


	7. Terror

**Bloody hell, this chapter is the longest so far (and took me ages). I kind of didn't like writing this because I want to get to the good stuff, but some things just have to happen & I hope this turned out OK. Gore-warning again, but enjoy! X – D.**

* * *

Covered with a heavy, warming blanket, Aurora stared at the police officer opposite her. Her shivering made it hard to really comprehend what he was asking, and being alone in a room with a stranger didn't make it any easier. She looked at the pad of paper on the table, the reflection of herself in the glass behind him, then finally at her own hands. They looked like she'd tried to claw her way through something. Her bottom lip trembled and her inner fight or flight-instinct told her to run.

"Did you see the man who did this?" the police officer asked, studying Aurora through his old, thick glasses. He was tapping the pen onto the pad, making Aurora stare at it.

"_What was that?" Aurora whispered, seeking Maleficent's eyes for answers, but Maleficent silenced her by covering her mouth with her hand. They stood absolutely still, and Aurora understood that she was trying to pick up any kind of sound to tell them from which direction the scream had originated. Aurora wriggled, but Maleficent kept her still and her lips mouthed the words "stay quiet". _

_There it was. A loud smack, as if someone had stricken someone else with a heavy object. Maleficent immediately let go of Aurora, turned around and started running towards the other side of the parking lot, where even Aurora could make out sounds from. She stared at her teacher, then without even realizing it, took off after her, barefoot. _

"Miss Briars, is there anything you can give me that might help?" the police officer asked more firmly, trying to catch Aurora's eyes, but her gaze was dead, simply staring in front of her.

"_Oh my god", Aurora whispered, covering her mouth with her hands. She let out a muffled cry and out of panic tears immediately started burning in her eyes. "Oh my god, oh my god, that's –" _

"_Aurora, calm down", Maleficent commanded. She was sitting on her knees on the wet, dirty ground. Beneath her hovering form lay something that had been a head, now covered in a huge amount of gore, eyes barely visible under the tangled, black locks covered in blood. Arms and legs were sprawled out in unnatural positions and hands were tightly squeezed shut. Maleficent desperately started seeking for a pulse, blood immediately staining her hands, chest and dress. She held her hand by the girl's carotid, but felt nothing. _

"_That's, that's –", Aurora stammered, suddenly feeling sick and being forced to bend down. Her stomach was cramping, feeling like she was going to throw up. "Oh my god, what happened, what happened –" _

"_Aurora, calm down!" Maleficent commanded without turning around to look at her. She started wiping some of the girl's hair out of her face, trying to clear her mouth. She carefully inserted her fingers into her mouth, pushing her tongue down, quickly trying to clear the airway. Squeezing the girl's nostrils shut with the fingers of her right hand she bent down to blow air into her mouth, but as she did so a surge of blood splashed right onto her left arm and collarbone. She gasped and looked up, then stroked her bloody hand over the girl's torso. "Dear God, he's stabbed her right through", she whispered, then turned around to look at Aurora. The blonde sat bent down on her knees, shaking to the very core, breathing unnaturally fast. "Aurora, call 911 and get Harry." _

_She didn't move. Her eyes were locked on the bloody mess on the ground and her hands were resting on the girl's dirty, blood-washed feet, gently stroking them with her fingers. _

"_Aurora!" Maleficent shouted, finally making contact with the girl. "Call an ambulance and get Professor Diaval, he's inside the club! Go, GO!" _

Aurora broke down into a pile of tears, covering her face in the blanket resting around her shoulders. She gasped frantically, squeezing her eyes shut and eventually screamed into the blanket, as if opening her mouth would make the pain go away. The officer had gotten up and walked around the table to put a hand on her shoulder. He gave her a couple of tissues, softly implying that he was sorry.

* * *

Maleficent took a sip of coffee, resting her head against the wall. She couldn't sit still. She'd been pacing back and forth in the corridor since the officer had taken Aurora into the interrogation room. Her eyes shot up at the clock on the wall. _3.32 AM_. Sighing loudly, she threw the rest of the coffee down her throat, but just as she was about to go knock on the door to the interrogation room, Diaval walked in through the door from the other end of the corridor. She turned her heel and hurried towards him, grabbing his hands as she reached him. "Please", she whispered, biting her lower lip while staring into his eyes.

He shook his head, swallowing hard. The small gesture he made was enough for Maleficent to let go of his hands, bring them up to her face and exhale all the air that was left in her lungs.

"Jesus Christ", she whispered, then shoot a look at the door of the interrogation room. "What the hell am I going to tell her, Harry?"

Diaval put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, pressing his face against the side of her hair. "Tell her the truth. Tell her there was nothing to be done. And tell her we're doing our best to catch this son of a bitch." He breathed in her scent, as a touch of familiarity always calmed him down. "You're not hurt, are you?" he asked into her hair.

"No", she replied, eyes closed, leaning the side of her head onto his shoulder. "I managed to rinse most of it out in the shower after they took the samples. I feel like hell, though." She swore she could taste the girl's blood in her mouth. "I don't understand how this happened. I mean, we were _right there_. We were literally fifty feet away. I don't –"

"Sssh", Diaval hissed into her hair. "I won't let you go home unless you promise me that you won't start blaming yourself again. This had _nothing_ to do with you. It was just a coincidence. Remember that."

She nodded, then moved out of his embrace. He could read her like a book, and she knew he could see that she was screaming inside. Out of anger, out of rage, but foremost, out of fear. It wasn't like her to get scared, nor was it like her to show any kind of emotion that made her vulnerable.

"Listen, there's something I have to tell you…"

She frowned as she recognized the look on his face. This was going to be bad. Inhaling sharply, she tilted her head a bit and hissed "_What?_"

"That girl we found in the river", he began, rubbing his temples. "It wasn't Jessica Roberts. The pathologist cocked-up completely. Some reports got mixed up, and… Well, it turns out the body had only been in the water for about four to five days. The report you got was an old one, from a couple of years back. The girl in the river was a Samantha Harding, twenty years old. Freshman. She had indeed been weighted down but she'd also been stabbed in the chest. She went missing a little over a week ago. The point is…" He coughed a bit as he saw the disbelief on Maleficent's face. "The point is Jessica Roberts is just missing. She might not even be involved in this. And Samantha Harding is, from the looks of it, our third victim. He –"

"Changed his _MO_", Maleficent cut in, staring at Diaval. "He completely switched tactics. What the hell is going on, Harry?" She turned around to stare at the door of the room Aurora was in, once again. Her pulse had begun to race and suddenly her fingertips felt incredibly cold, telling her she wasn't getting enough air. Diaval stayed silent behind her, just standing there and making sure she didn't collapse. Neither of them moved until they heard the double doors behind them open.

"Where is she?" Came Esme's voice, hysterical and high. "Where is she?!" She marched right in towards them, her boots clicking on the floor. Her make-up was all over her face and her raven mane looked like she'd tried to pull her hair out.

Maleficent walked up to her, not wanting her to get past them. She put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Aurora's talking to an officer as we speak", she said softly, trying to keep eye-contact with the girl, but she was frantically looking around. "You're going to be fine. Aurora will be out any minute now. Once she is, Professor Diaval here will drive you home. We can call someone, if you want to talk – "

"Where is _she_?" Esme repeated, clenching her jaw. Her hand came up to the teacher's wrist, squeezing it. "I need to see her. I want to see her, now, please just let me see – "

"We can't do that, I'm afraid." Maleficent's chest felt so tight she could barely speak. Esme erupted into a storm of tears and sobbing, slid down to her knees and Maleficent followed, keeping the girl in a tight embrace, letting her cry on her shoulder. With all the strenght that was left in her, she kept the girl pressed up against her, soothing her as well as she could, knowing nothing she really did would make any difference now.

The door to the interrogation room clicked, and Maleficent looked over her shoulder, still holding Esme's shivering form in her arms. The police officer had escorted a tired and traumatized-looking Aurora out into the hallway, exchanging looks with Diaval as if to tell him to take the girl. Diaval walked up, put his hand on Aurora's shoulder and took her with him to sit down, just opposite of the two women on the floor. Aurora's eyes found Esme in Maleficent's arms, but she calmly looked away and let Diaval seat her down. From the empty look in Aurora's eyes, Maleficent realized she was in a state of chock. She caught Diaval's attention, telling him to switch places with her, and he gently got down on one knee on the floor, taking Esme's sobbing body into his arms. Maleficent stroked her hair one last time, then got up and turned towards Aurora. The girl wasn't looking at her. She was staring at her feet, looking like she was about to fall into a coma at any second now. Maleficent sat down next to her and put a hand on Aurora's bare knee.

"Are you allright?" she asked, but there was no response. Nothing moved at the sound of her voice, nothing in Aurora's eyes. Maleficent sighed, then searched her brain for any kind of information about stimuli whenever someone found themselves in chock. "Aurora, stai bene?" she tried, choosing something that was only between them.

"No", Aurora's soft voice answered. Her fingers were tightly squeezing the blanked around her and she slightly turned her head to meet Maleficent's gaze. "Che domanda stupida. Come potrei star bene, dopo tutto questo?" She shook her head. Her lower lip was trembling again, blonde curls looking so much darker, as if their golden colour had completely disappeared. "I've never seen someone dead, before."

"Vieni, ti porto a casa", Maleficent tried, knowing that staying here wouldn't do the girl any good.

"No, I don't want to", Aurora protested. She violently shook her head, as if the thought of going home set new shivers of terror surging through her body. "I don't want to sleep alone, not after this. I just, I don't, what am I supposed to do now? This is all too real, I feel like I can't breathe. Tell me how to make this go away, please." She looked at her teacher, searching for any kind of comfort, anything that could make her get away from all of this.

"I don't know", Maleficent sighed. She shot a gaze at Diaval, who looked straight back at her. She knew that he understood that she didn't want Esme to read into the conversation. Her cries had died and she was simply laying there, in Diaval's arms, staring at the two women with dark, grief-filled eyes. Maleficent looked back at Aurora, then made a judgement call; the only one she thought the girl would agree to. "Puoi dormire da me. Ma solo per stanotte, intesi?"

Aurora nodded. Maleficent got up, took Aurora by the hand, then looked down at Diaval and Esme.

"Go on and take her", Diaval said, his arms still tightly holding the other girl. "I'll drive this one home once we get someone to talk to her." He gave a slight nod, gesturing that he had the situation under control. Maleficent bent down, kissed the top of Diaval's head, then made her way through the doors, Aurora following behind her.

* * *

On any other day, Aurora would have been head over heels excited about finally seeing her teacher's apartment. Unfortunately, tonight she barely paid any attention to her surroundings. Her temples hurt awefully and her mind was filled with a white cloud, making her eyes ache as they could barely stay open. She was exhausted beyond measure. As she dragged her feet behind her into Maleficent's apartment, she resisted the urge to slide down the door as it closed.

"Is there anything you'd like?" Maleficent asked, wrinkles of worry on her forehead.

"Do you have a washing machine?" Aurora asked, snapping out of her trance. As she looked at Maleficent, everything around her teacher started having contours, edges and colours. She was slowly coming back.

"Well yes", Maleficent replied, trying to hide her confusement. "It's, uh, it's in the bathroom."

"Would you mind putting it on?" Aurora asked. She kept clawing at her palms with her nails, desperate for something to soothe her. This too, as any other movement Aurora made, didn't go unnoticed by Maleficent, so with a slight nod she slipped out of her heels and hurried her way to the bathroom.

Aurora slowly took her shoes off, realizing her feet were still dirty from standing barefoot outside in the rain. She turned around towards the door and noticed a pair of worn-out fluffy socks next to the organized shoe-shelf. Not wanting to get her teacher's white carpet dirty, she slipped the socks on, then hung her coat next to the jacket Diaval had lent to Maleficent.

Her teacher's living room was like an edition of an interior design-magazine. Everything was sharp, like her cheekbones. A contrast between black and white controlled the living room and open kitchen, but to Aurora's surprise she saw no personal effects, nothing that distinguished itself as original. The walls were covered with paintings and black-and-white photographs. A painting with a cat wearing sunglasses and headphones caught her eye, but there were no pictures of Maleficent's family. Aurora had expected to at least find a photo of her and Professor Diaval, or the deceased sister she remembered Phillip talking about, but the white bookcase held no photos; only piles of literature, stacked upon each other.

"It's on."

Aurora turned around to see Maleficent standing a couple of feet behind her, arms across her chest. She had learnt that whenever her teacher was nervous, that was the position she took; arms crossed tightly. She gave her a smile and a nod in return, then made her way towards the bathroom – past Maleficent. "I might actually take a shower, if it's all right", she said as she passed the brunette, who stood still as a sculpture.

"Of course", she answered, giving Aurora a quick look, then heading towards the kitchen counter. "You should find everything you need by the bathtub. I'm going to get you some dry clothes in a minute. Do shout if there is anything you want." She bit her lip as she said that last sentence, looking down at the sink while pouring herself a glass of water. The situation was so catastrophic she'd reached a point where she could no longer rationally make any kind of clever decisions. Having Aurora in her apartment made her body burn, but the circumstances under which she was there could not have been worse, and thereby this was a situation where the only reasonable thing to do was to remain neutral. Maleficent's fear circled with the fact that she didn't trust herself to do so. Desperate, tired and utterly spent, she smashed the glass into the sink; cristallic pieces of glass shattered around and became invisible in the water as Maleficent dried some blood off of her hand with a washing-cloth.

Inside the bathroom, Aurora leaned her head against the washing machine and let herself close her eyes. The humming, soothing sound and the gentle vibrations against her back finally made it possible for her to relax, even if it was for just a moment. Not having had her eyes closed for more than about twenty seconds, she opened them wide again to escape the images that appeared before her. A knock on the door made her jump, but as she heard her teacher's soft voice, asking for permission to enter, she quickly calmed down and kept repeating, in her mind, that she was safe.

Maleficent entered, carrying a black, cozy sweatshirt and a pair of fluffy, navy college shorts. She looked towards the bathtub, as if expecting to see Aurora there, but as she found the blonde curled up by the washing machine she literally felt her heart ache in her chest. She looked so small in Maleficent's eyes, blonde hair messed up, skin dirty. The dress that had sat so well on her now seemed way too big and way too fancy for a night like this.

"I know I'm not much to look at right now", Aurora murmured, not bothering to lift her gaze. She knew her teacher was studying her – just like she always was.

"_What?_" Maleficent inhaled sharply. "Oh, I was just – I brought you these." She held the clothes out, but Aurora didn't look up. "I thought you might like something warm. It's been a long night."

"Come sit with me", Aurora whispered, looking up at the brunette. She could read on Maleficent's face that she found the current situation incredibly peculiar, and decided to hold out an encouraging hand. To her surprise, her teacher took it and settled herself next to Aurora on the floor, back against the machine. They sat like that for a minute or two before Aurora nudged a little bit closer, linked her arm with Maleficent's and finally pressed her cheek against the older woman's clothed shoulder. She could swear she heard her take a sharp intake of breath.

"Do you wish to tell me what it is we're doing exactly?" Maleficent asked and glared down at the sea of blonde curls against her shoulder.

Aurora swallowed her tears and stared at her feet on the floor. Of course, Maleficent couldn't know about her strange relationship with humming washing machines, but she knew that now was not the time to indulge her teacher. "We're _feeling_", Aurora replied softly, not really knowing how else to explain herself. As she had linked her left arm with Maleficent's right one, she let her index-finger trace the inside of her teacher's wrist. Responding to her touch, Maleficent took her hand into hers and squeezed it tight, trying her best to let Aurora know that, at the moment, she _wasn't_ alone.

* * *

While Aurora was in the bath, Maleficent changed out of the clothes she'd borrowed at the police station. The things she was feeling were all too familiar, but in a situation as such, she'd never before found herself feeling the need to explain. She did now, knowing the blonde girl was probably sobbing in the bathroom. Maleficent knew from experience that someone being selfishly compassionate in a moment of crisis never did any good. The basic _'I know what you're going through'_ and _'I know what you're feeling'_ actually felt degrading, for every experience was one's own and one's own only. Sighing, she sat down on the couch she'd made into a bed for herself, knowing nothing needed to be spoken of tonight.

The bathroom door opened and she slowly turned. Aurora had put her clothes on, and as awful as she felt, she had to admit the girl looked rather sweet. Aurora's skin was once again its own pale colour, and her hair seemed a bit shinier now that she'd washed it. Maleficent got up, then walked towards the bedroom door to show Aurora the way.

"Maleficent", Aurora said, stopping her in her movements. "About what I said… About what you said, by the car – "

"There really is no need to talk about that right now", Maleficent quickly cut in, raising her chin a bit as if to look down at Aurora even though the girl was exactly her height when neither of them were in heels. "There really is _no_ need at all. Understand?"

Aurora frowned at the sharpness of Maleficent's voice. Why was she suddenly so cold? Had she not meant what she finally had admitted, or had tonight's events completely washed away her feelings? As if Aurora's heart didn't ache enough, she felt a tightness in her stomach. _Panic_.

"You can sleep in here", Maleficent continued, opening the bedroom door wider.

_Oh hell no_, Aurora thought and clenched her jaw_. You are not going to justify your arrogant attitude by letting me sleep better. I am not that easy_. She shot a glare at the couch, then took a deep breath to steady the sudden anger that boiled up inside of her. "I prefer the couch."

Maleficent raised her eyebrows, staring at the girl. She knew what was going on. She was hurt and offended by her sudden lack of interest to discuss their mutual situation, of course she was. But having gained some of that responsibility she'd preached to Diaval about earlier that same night, she decided now was not the time to give in. They could argue later. They could dance around each other later. Whenever, just not now.

"Fine", she hissed through clenched teeth. "I do hope the couch will be comfortable. Goodnight." With that, without even looking at Aurora, she pushed the door to the bedroom completely open, walked through, then shut it behind her.

_Silence. _

Aurora took a couple of steps forward, placing her hands on the door, resting her head against it. She felt horrible. She felt too much, too fast, all at once. Like she felt about Maleficent. _All at once_. She wondered if she, too, was standing behind the door, thinking about her. _No_, she decided. _Of course not. Too proud, isn't she_. Straightening her neck, she turned around and switched off the lights. Sliding down onto the couch, she let her head sink into the pillow, cool against her hair. The covers Maleficent had laid out were thick and made a funny sound as she pulled them over herself. They felt good, though. Heavy, and she wrapped herself there, trying to reach complete silence in her mind. She could hear Maleficent's footsteps in the bedroom, a silent wish in her mind for the woman to come back out and keep her company, but of course, that didn't happen. The light that had been visible beneath the door between them was switched off, and so was everything else.

* * *

Aurora had fallen into a light slumber when she shot awake, staring at the ceiling. She'd seen it all in her mind, cursing the way the unconcious inside human beings worked. She threw the covers off, got up and made her way towards her purse by her shoes. She opened it and took out her phone, then returned to the couch.

She chose Esme out of her message contacts and quickly wrote '_Hey, you awake?_'.

As she closed her eyes for a second, her phone immediately buzzed, lighting up the screen.

'_Been hurling for two hours now. I can't believe this is happening.' _

Aurora sighed, then continued typing. _'Have you called Phillip or John?'_

Half a minute went by_. 'No, just my mom. She'll be here tomorrow. I think we should wait until they come back from the cottage. I don't want them to drive knowing what happened.'_

Esme seemed to have read Aurora's thoughts. She quickly typed _'I'll call Phillip tomorrow. Try and get some sleep hun. You're so important to me, I love you.'_

After a couple of minutes her phone lit up, the screen showing Esme's message _'I love you too'._

And Aurora loved someone else as well. Staring at the door to her teacher's bedroom, she felt a shiver go through her. She couldn't be like this; knowing that she was on the other side of that door was a distraction she didn't need right now. Again, she got up, this time, though, with the intension of not laying back down again. She tiptoed to the door and pressed her ear against it. When she didn't hear anything, she gently turned the handle and pushed it open.

Maleficent had left the blinds open and the moonlight threw stripes of white onto her sleeping form. She was laying on her side, covers pulled up to her chest, her hair in a brown halo on the pillow. She was completely still, reassuring Aurora that she was sound asleep. Aurora tiptoed to the side her teacher was turned to, then gently sat down onto the white sheets. She didn't stir. Her expression was both calm and vulnerable; thick, dark eyelashes fluttering every now and then, her lips slightly parted and her chest rising softly up and down in a steady rhythm. Aurora managed to make out that she was sleeping in a _Jurassic Park_ T-shirt. It made her giggle, but she was careful not to be too loud.

_She's so beautiful_. Knowing that tonight was one of the worst nights of her life, she felt slightly guilty for seizing the moment she'd so fiercely craved for so long. As her teacher sighed loudly, turning a bit more onto her back, Aurora couldn't help but feel the absolute need to snuggle up to her. She softly slid beneath the covers, body turned towards the sleeping beauty. She bit her lip before raising her right hand to brush a couple of strands of dark hair out of her peaceful face.

As Aurora did so, Maleficent stirred. Almost holding her breath, she watched as heavy eyes opened, revealing the beautiful mix of hazel and emerald. Even in the dark, her eyes were piercing. For a moment or two she simply stared, then suddenly seemed to snap out of it, realizing Aurora was really there.

"Aurora", she mumbled, brushing her mouth with the back of her hand. She'd been in a deep sleep.

"I'm here", Aurora whispered, brushing a couple more strands of Maleficent's hair. She laid down on her back but kept her head turned towards the brunette. She watched Maleficent's eyes move from her face to her hand, then to the covers Aurora was pulling up towards her chest. "I couldn't sleep."

Maleficent swallowed, trying to hide the blush that was appearing on her sharp cheeks. She stayed still, merely studying Aurora's face. The girl's eyes looked like she'd been crying, hints of tears mixed with signs of sleep deprivation. But she was still Aurora, and her eyes were still blue, just like she remembered.

Aurora, too, studied, trying to read her teacher, but as usual she did not succeed and finally settled for just looking at her. They stayed like that for some time, looking at each other, until Aurora realized her vision had become blurrier. She exhaled slowly and blinked a couple of times. "My friend is dead", she finally admitted.

As if something had stung her in her chest, Maleficent laid her arm over Aurora's stomach and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry", she whispered, stroking the girl's golden locks. Aurora snuggled into her neck, her lips almost pressed up against Maleficent's collarbone. She heard her teacher's heart beating and let herself close her eyes, drifting off into a light sleep. It may have just been for one night, but at that moment she managed to block out the gruesome images in her mind, and simply feel the presence she'd longed for.

The following morning, when the first rays of sunlight laid themselves across the bed, Maleficent brushed her hair out of her face and turned, only to realize that she _was_ alone. The sweatshirt and the shorts were neatly folded on the bed, beside her. Aurora was gone.

* * *

_Che domanda stupida. Come potrei star bene, dopo tutto questo?_ What a stupid question. How could I be all right, after all this?

_Vieni, ti porto a casa_. Come, I'll take you home.

_Puoi dormire da me. Ma solo per stanotte, intesi?_ You can sleep at my place. But only for tonight, understand?

**Special thanks to Neaori for helping with the Italian! X - D.**


	8. Dare

**Here we go again. Thanks to everyone who reviewed/followed, you're most welcome to do so. Lovely to get on with this. This chapter contains minor suggestive adult themes, you have, once again, been warned. Enjoy you lovely people!:) x - D. **

* * *

_Stooped down and out, you got me beggin' for thread to sew this hole up that you ripped in my head, stupidly think you had it under control, strapped down to something that you don't understand, don't know what you were getting yourself into, you should have known, secretly I think you knew._ - Jillian Banks & Tim Anderson 

* * *

The news about Jasmine Chanda's death quickly spread around the campus, to the point of the faculty organizing a memorial service for everyone who wished to attend, honoring the four young women whose lives had ended much too early. On a late Monday afternoon, two weeks after the horrible incident outside Plush, groups of grieving students gathered into the grand auditorium to listen to the speech of the director of the school board. As evening fell, seas of candles covered the lawns outside. Even though gruesome events had taken place in a community so small, life seemed to go on normally regardless of the fearsome, edgy atmosphere that had taken over the campus.

Aurora was sitting on the steps in front of the psychology department together with Phillip, Esme and John. As their group had decreased by one, none of them seemed to want to talk about Jasmine. Aurora had called Phillip the following day, asking him to break the news as gently as possible to John. For some reason, Phillip had refused to tell the girls how he'd taken it. As they had returned from the cottage that same day, John had seemed like an entirely different person. He'd simply made his way to the morgue without wanting anyone with him. Sadly, it made Aurora doubt the way he'd felt about his girlfriend; picturing herself in the same situation, Aurora knew she wouldn't have been able to make it through the following week without help. It had been like that when her mother had died. She had expected John to need a shoulder to cry on, but he'd chosen to spend his afternoons on the basketball court together with Phillip. Whenever Aurora had tried asking him how John was doing, Phillip had insisted on letting the subject go. She tried telling herself that maybe it was just too sensitive a subject to be so straight-forward about. And yes, maybe it was, but she couldn't help but sense that everything was different now. _Everything_.

Aurora was sipping her coffee when Phillip put his arm around her. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head and his lips met her cheek instead. It was no secret that Aurora was no longer comfortable in his company. During the last week she'd multiple times tried bringing up the subject of them, but whenever she'd tried, Phillip had made his way out of the conversation, insisting that they were only going through a phase, caused by everything that was happening around them. It made Aurora so frustrated she'd forced Esme to go to the gym with her almost every night. She needed a way to punch out her aggressions since the person she was sharing her life with clearly had no interest whatsoever to _listen_ to what she actually had to say instead of deliberately making up excuses for being miserable. The truth was, she wanted out.

The wind blew a couple of hazel leaves from the lawn onto Aurora's boots, and she picked one up, studying its creases and different shades. _Hazel, with hints of emerald green_. As she held the leaf in front of her face, she caught a familiar form in the corner of her eye. Maleficent had descended the stairs and walked right past them. As her heels hit the final step, she quickly turned her head to catch a glimpse of Aurora – a glimpse that was met by insanely blue eyes. She slowed down her walk, but as she noticed Aurora was surrounded by her friends, she bit her lip and picked up her pace. As she walked away, carrying a pile of books in her lap, Aurora kept her eyes on her backside, watching the delicate curve of her neck and the conscious sway of her hips. It made her inhale sharply as she felt that familiar flutter in the pit of her stomach.

"What's making you look so happy?" Phillip asked from beside her.

Aurora snapped out of her trance and turned her head to look at Phillip. She hadn't even realized she'd been smiling. Aurora twisted a strand of blonde locks around her finger and got up. "It's just that for a complete hour, I'm going to be able to _be_ without thinking about all of this", she replied quickly as she zipped her bag. "I'm going to be late." She wound her scarf around her neck, gave the trio a smile and hurried off across the lawn.

* * *

The weeks that followed remained exactly the same. Aurora would search for Maleficent wherever she went, and whenever she tried to talk to Phillip about their current situation, he managed to completely shut off. They didn't dine together anymore; Aurora preferred having dinner with Esme. They'd sit together for hours, talking about everything and nothing. Whenever Esme tried asking about Aurora's teacher, she told her she wasn't ready to talk about it yet. Aurora had surprised herself with being able to keep quiet about the events and words exchanged the night they'd lost their friend. Whenever she felt like she was going to explode, she'd open up a memo in her phone and write a letter to Maleficent – letters she _never_ converted into e-mails to actually send.

During lessons Aurora tried occupying herself with anything but Maleficent. She'd eagerly seek out a partner to rehearse her pronunciation with, she'd write little fictional novels into her notebook, and sometimes even put her thoughts into words in the back of her book – anything to keep her eyes away from the temptation that, in spite of recent events, still burnt hotter than ever. Sometimes she failed and found herself staring at the brunette beauty, and something told her Maleficent was having similar issues; Every once in awhile, when Aurora looked up towards the white board, she'd catch her teacher looking at her from underneath her thick lashes. Sometimes Maleficent buried herself in a book, holding it in front of her face while the students were doing exercises, but every now and then Aurora noticed the lowering book and the hypnotizing eyes that peaked from behind it. It made her feel victorious inside, and had slowly returned her lost confidence; seeing that Maleficent wasn't indifferent, that she was still struggling with herself, reassured Aurora of the only thing she needed to know: that Maleficent _still_ felt the same way.

And she did. Maleficent would sit by her desk with her legs crossed, trying to keep her eyes away from the far back of the class, but whenever she let her guard down her eyes mysteriously found their way to the beautiful blonde by the windows. The day she'd caught a glimpse of Aurora in front of the psychology department she suddenly found herself staring at the girl, lips parted and her teeth nibbling the nail of her right index finger. She could've slapped herself, hoping that none of the students had seen this utterly obvious display of lust on her face. Three times a week she was forced to endure the ache in stomach, all from simply being in the same room with the girl. Sometimes they'd lock eyes, and she'd see the longing in those blue orbs; the longing to be with her. The feeling – knowing that Aurora _needed_ and ultimately _wanted_ her – made her mouth dry and breathing unsteady. Responsibilities were eating her up, from the inside out, and whenever the class was over Aurora would linger, waiting for everyone else to leave. Maleficent had begun making sure her things were packed before the class ended so that she could be one of the first ones leaving the lecture hall and thereby escaping the trap of being alone with a girl she so deeply coveted. Since she'd put her hands on her – feeling her heavy breathing against her chest, the skin of her thigh against her fingertips, her breath on her pillowy lips – she found herself incapable of having any kind of discussion without wanting to bring up Miss Briars.

On a particularly cold autumn's day – due to the fact that Aurora didn't have any Italian lessons that day – Maleficent dove into her work, ultimately making her students sit quietly and read for a complete hour. When everything was quiet, except for the sound of turning pages, she could concentrate on planning and analysis. She shivered; there was no heat in the lecture hall, also due to the lack of Aurora's presence. As she buried herself into _Foucault's Pendulum_, one of her students felt the need to remind her that class was ending in mere minutes. Exhaling slowly, she let them leave.

As total silence conquered the lecture hall, she got up to wipe the board behind her. Every time she thought of the pickle she'd put herself in, it all just seemed too funny to even be true. She wasn't like this. She didn't feel _this_ much. She lived for exceptionally dark humor and the art of literature that took her away from reality. She didn't live for awkward situations at work, lingering looks in hallways and sexual tension that was so thick she could cut it with a knife. She wasn't the kind of woman who fantasized as she laid in the bathtub or went to bed at night. She didn't need to covet, for whatever she wanted she took without ever having to justify it. That said, she seldom wanted anything. That made everything so much more complicated; when she'd finally found something she truly coveted, would it be such a crime to actually pursue it?

* * *

"Hello."

Maleficent looked up from where she was sitting on the lawn. As it was midday, she'd decided to eat her lunch outside since it was a particularly beautiful day; no wind and no rain, just warming sunlight and a clear blue sky with a slight breeze. She'd folded her coat beneath her, making sure not to get her clothes dirty. The shadow that had fallen upon her was quite the familiar face, and she took a deep breath before speaking. "Hello, Miss Briars", she replied calmly.

Without asking, Aurora took off her coat and laid it onto the lawn next to where Maleficent was sitting. The woman raised her eyebrows, expecting an explanation, but the girl smiled quietly and set herself down, closing her eyes and leaning her head backwards to really feel the sun as it shone upon her face - the face Maleficent studied intently with narrowed eyes. What was she up to?

"It's such a beautiful day", Aurora exhaled, smiling at Maleficent.

"Yes, it is", she agreed, turning her eyes away from Aurora and focusing on what was left of her toasted sandwich. They weren't the only ones sprawled out on the lawn, but they were sitting a little bit off the path between the lawns, making Maleficent feel like she didn't have to run away… just yet.

"I want to see you", Aurora continued, smile suddenly faded. When Maleficent only glared at her without replying, she turned to sit towards her. "Just because I was a bit drunk doesn't mean I don't remember what happened."

_Oh, I'm sure you remember_. Maleficent pressed her eyes shut and inhaled sharply. "I see. Well, I'd prefer you forgot all about it."

"You're lying", Aurora smiled, resisting the urge to giggle a bit and make herself all sweet and cute in her teacher's eyes. "Look, I just want to talk. We don't have to do anyth -"

"Oh, we _won't_", Maleficent cut in, with a mischievous smile on her blood-red lips before she went back to serious. "And I don't see what there is to talk about, nothing happened."

"Yeah, except we almost kissed", Aurora insisted, starting to feel a bit agitated suddenly.

"Almost", Maleficent repeated, enjoying the light breeze in her hair. Her mind painted memories before her eyes, and suddenly her chest felt just a tad too tight.

"You said you craved me", Aurora continued, pressing forward.

"So?" the brunette replied, starting to feel really uncomfortable with the situation as she heard herself say the words she'd said that night in her head. Even thought it was Aurora, she didn't like to feel cornered. "Why don't you run off to class and leave things the way they are", she continued, not bothering to look at the girl. Once again this was getting way out of hand. "That is what I wish to do. I don't want the possibility of getting sacked hanging over my head, nor do I wan't a reputation as the teacher who shags her students."

"It wouldn't be like that", Aurora whispered and bit her lip, recognizing the indifference in Maleficent's voice. She'd heard it last when they'd gone to sleep, at her apartment.

"_Really?_" Maleficent frowned, feeling quite sure that Aurora had no way of reaching her goal through this conversation. "_How_ would it be then?"

Aurora smiled and let her mind wander. She looked at a pack of students passing them in the sunshine, just ten feet away, then shot a look at her painted fingernails. Twisting a couple of strands of golden locks around her finger she finally let her gaze fall upon Maleficent's legs, clearly visible in the position she was sitting in. "Me and you exchanging even more lingering looks in the corridors. You waking up to me stroking your hair and back in the early morning. I'd make you breakfast and let you choose the movies we'd watch." As she spoke she slowly moved her hand towards Maleficent, intending to let it rest on her thigh. "You'd tell me about your day as we'd cook dinner together in your kitchen. I'd splatter you with champagne and you'd chase after me." The thought made Aurora chuckle. "You'd kill me for it, softly with those beautiful hands of yours." Her fingers gently caressed Maleficent's thigh above her knee. Maleficent's hand shot down and grabbed Aurora's, but the girl held her gaze, emerald up against blue in all its power. Aurora took a deep breath as she realized her voice was going to be low and deep. "I'd take you _anyhow_ you wanted."

Maleficent's mouth shot open as she realized what Aurora had intended with her last sentence. Trying to come up with some kind of resistance, her breath caught in her throat. "Is that so?" she whispered, still holding Aurora's hand in the air between them.

"Yes", she replied. Her eyes shot to Maleficent's lips, taking in their colour. "I'd love you hard, and make you moan even harder."

Maleficent was utterly shocked by Aurora's boldness; this girl was _not_ like she'd imagined. Yes, she'd seen hints of a wilder, more resilient Aurora that night at _Plush_, but never had she imagined the girl having the guts to actually say the words describing the things she wanted. A mental image of Aurora doing the things she'd listed before made Maleficent let our a slight gasp, and she let go of Aurora's hand, feeling so flustered she had to get away from her, right now. "That's too much", she managed to get out, wrapping her toast up and putting it inside her LV bag.

"It's what you want and don't tell me otherwise", Aurora said sharply, not backing down this time. "Look, I won't hurt you, don't be afraid."

Maleficent chuckled and shook her head. "_I'm_ not afraid."

"Then come out and play with me", Aurora teased, knowing her voice sounded incredibly daring. "Ever since I met you that night at _Joe's_, you struck me as someone confident, stable and incredibly demanding. Nothing gets in your way, and you do exactly as you please. Do not tell me a little thing like _me_ is making you feel on edge."

Maleficent knew Aurora was daring her, and unfortunately she'd hit home, hard. She was somewhere between standing and sitting. If it was the fact that the girl studied psychology, or simply that she trusted her instincts, Maleficent didn't know, but being told that there was something she couldn't take on, something she wasn't strong enough to handle… That was _not_ all right. She was indeed too proud to succumb to something like this, _losing_. She lifted her chin. "Oh, you want to play, do you?" she hissed, sitting back down onto her coat and leaning closer to the girl. She raised her hand to Aurora's neck and softly pulled her in, but right as their lips were only inches apart, Maleficent's hand sharply shot to Aurora's jaw and turned her head so that her lips were lingering by the girl's ear. Aurora gasped slightly, Maleficent's breathing tickling her earlobe.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, _little beast_", she whispered huskily, feeling Aurora's hand move back to her thigh. "I do take what I want. I do exactly as I please. And if I wanted to, I would've ravaged you by now." She heard Aurora whimper, grasping her thigh, fingers digging into her flesh. She caressed the girl's throat with her thumb. "But I've seen you, and this ride you so badly wish to get on is too much for you. If it is truly something you want, then _good_ things come to _bad_ girls who wait." With that, she suddenly moved her hands away from the girl and got up in one swift movement. Eyes locked on Aurora's startled blue ones, she grabbed her coat and bag, and strolled off towards the psychology department, leaving a shivering and surprised Aurora alone in the sunshine.

* * *

As Aurora walked through the corridors of the school that afternoon, she was overcome with a sense of relief and happiness, for the first time in a very, very long time. The recent events had made her take a fall and brush rock bottom, some mornings feeling like there was nothing for her. Now that she passed different faces and voices, she felt satisfied with herself. It was funny how a little thing conversation like the one she'd had with Maleficent could make all the difference for her. _They were making progress_. Maleficent's touch lingered on her neck and she brought her fingers up to her mouth, smiling widely.

Making her way over the lawn they'd sat on only a couple of hours ago, she heard a familiar voice shouting after her. Stopping in her tracks and turning around, she saw Phillip running towards her. _Shit_, she thought before he reached her. _I have to tell him_. The last thing she wanted to be, and the last thing she was, was a cheater. She'd been telling herself for a while now that these things happened; that it was all right that it was over, because when you're in love, you say things – things you mean. And Aurora had meant the things she'd said when she'd said them, never ever doubting herself. The boy before her had held her heart for most of her adult life, and what she was about to do hurt, but it would hurt more to keep the same façade up. Lying to herself and the people around her had weighted her down for way too long now.

"I thought you'd wait for me", Phillip said, breathing labored from the run. "Where are you going?"

Aurora exhaled slowly, then lifted her chin. "Home, Phillip. I'm going home, then I think I should stay with Esme… for a while, at least." As she said the words, she saw something flicker in Phillip's brown eyes, and the slight hint of a smile he'd worn disappeared right away. Aurora's chest hurt. She took a step towards him and grabbed his hand. "This isn't working out, Phillip, you know that. I don't want to keep kidding myself, fooling everyone around us. This doesn't – I don't…" Deep breaths, Aurora. "This doesn't feel like it's supposed to anymore. I'm so sorry –"

"No", he simply cut in, shaking his head and squeezing her hand. "No, this is because of Jasmine. You're confused, you don't –"

"Don't tell me what I am!" Aurora hissed, trying to pull her hand away. She was aware that people were looking at them now. She took a deep breath, steadying her voice. "Don't put words in my mouth; this has nothing to do with her. This has been going on for months and you've been avoiding it. This isn't news, I've tried talking to you a million times. We can talk about this when you're ready for it, but I need you to know where I stand."

"You don't know what you're doing", Phillip pleaded between clenched teeth, gripping her hand even harder. "You have _no idea_ what I've done for you. You can't just decide something like this, there's two of us here. And I love you, Aurora."

"I know", she replied, eyes burning. Knowing what she had to say next sounded so horrible in her mind she'd given anything not to have to be this person. "Phillip… I know you do. And I love you. Just… Not like you want me to, anymore." And the pressure in her chest broke at once.

"No", he whispered, pulling at her hand, making her stumble forward into him. He raised his hands to her head, holding her in place while looking deep into her eyes, searching for the person he thought he knew. The eyes that met her were sad and filled with tears, but there was no hint of any regret. "I've done everything for you, always. You know why? Because you and I, we're the real thing." As he spoke she tried shaking her head, but he wouldn't let her move. "It's you and me, Aurora, I love you. Do you hear me? I fucking love you." With those words he pulled her in and captured her mouth, frantically kissing her, as if trying to pull the evil out of her. Her hands flew up to his, pushing them off of her. She broke the kiss she and raised her head to look into his eyes, ready to finalize what she needed to make clear, when something else behind him caught her eye. Her heart sank.

Next to some of the students listening to their conversation on the lawn stood a familiar figure in a black trench coat. The breeze was blowing her brown tresses into her face and she stood completely still, looking straight at Aurora. Underneath her thick lashes her emerald eyes held no tears. Aurora felt herself choke as she backed up a bit, but as she held Maleficent's gaze, trying to signal that she'd gotten it all wrong, that nothing was what it looked like, the woman lowered her chin and started walking towards them, heading for her car. As she passed them only from a few feet away, her eyes shot straight at Aurora's. She'd expected Maleficent to look upset, but walking past them her face held an expression, as if to say _'I told you, you can't handle this ride'_. With that, she turned her gaze forward and moved on.

It was over. With Phillip in front of her and Maleficent walking away from her, Aurora stood still, wind in her hair and pain in her heart, as the world that suddenly had become so bright seemed just as dark as it had been before.


	9. Games

_**Quick & long update since this weekend will be hell on earth for me. To everyone who reviewed, thankyou & I know you want to see Malora get down to business. It's coming. Those thinking Phillip is a jerk, oh yes he is, but ohh is he gonna get what he deserves soon ;) completely justified, of course. Hope everyone has a nice weekend, enjoy! XX - D** _

* * *

The following weekend had definitely felt like the longest one in all of Aurora's life, and on top of it all the weather had completely reflected the thoughts in her head; it had been pouring down non-stop since Friday evening. Due to the awful, terrible incident with both Phillip and her teacher, Aurora had packed her bag that same afternoon and slept over at Esme's, and she had to give it to her; known as the tomboy and an absolute walking disaster, Esme had been the best friend anyone could ask for. She'd made her dinner and together they had gone through all of the aspects of that same afternoon, together discussing what might be the best thing to do now. Aurora would've been lying if she'd said she wasn't angry; the look on her teacher's face as she'd passed them had not been at all what Aurora had expected. Instead of looking hurt and cheated – like Aurora would've felt if the roles had been reversed and Maleficent would've pursued her – she'd looked confident, calm, and as Aurora recalled it over and over in her head she could swear there'd been a tiny _smile_ to Maleficent's lips; a victorious smile, as if suggesting that she'd been _right_ about Aurora all along. That the girl was in over her head, that pursuing Maleficent was something she was doing to prove something to herself and ultimately, that this, whatever it was, had _come to an end_.

And then there was Phillip. To Aurora's surprise, he seemed completely oblivious to the looks exchanged between her and Maleficent. He'd stood there, in front of her, silently pleading for her not to walk away. In the end, she'd left him there without saying a word, too occupied with her teacher's actions to even be able to share another thought with Phillip. She'd experienced it before: sometimes she just had to get away, when too much built up in her life. Needless to say, having a boyfriend on the verge of a breakdown and having a teacher who was _mind-fucking_ her as quickly as she could, was enough for anyone to start feeling a more than a little anxious.

The following Monday, Aurora had searched for Maleficent everywhere. Whenever her classes ended, she'd hurried to the linguistics department to maybe catch the woman before she'd have time to leave the lecture hall, but it was all in vein. No Maleficent and no lingering looks. As the hours went by Aurora's heart had begun to sink even lower. Knocking on the door to the office of her teacher, there'd been no reply – searching for her in the teacher's lounge, nothing. In the end, Aurora was standing alone in the corridor, people passing her. Starting to feel that maybe her teacher had been hurt by what she'd seen, panic had started forming inside Aurora's chest and she'd decided she couldn't wait any longer. That same night, she'd dug through the personnel-files they'd all been given on their first day this year, frantically searching for the woman's phone number. She couldn't go to her house, because that would just have turned her into _too much_ of a stalker. After several hours of going through papers and files in her bedroom, she'd found the number and programmed it into her phone, but as she'd been about to call, the door to her apartment had clicked, signaling her that Phillip was home. She quickly threw all of the files back into an empty cardboard-box, and walked past him in the living-room, knowing he'd have nothing new to say. And he'd stared, brown eyes saddened by the indifference from her part.

But just as she had expected, Maleficent hadn't answered the phone. It had gone straight to voice-mail, and at the sound of her teacher's husky, sensual accent Aurora had panicked and hung up immediately, Esme grinning at her from the living room. Frustrated as she was, she'd decided on a text.

'_I really need to talk to you. It's not what it looks like, believe me. It doesn't change me and it shouldn't change you. I'll see you tomorrow and we'll talk because this is just ridiculous. You haven't triumphed yet, trust me.' _

She'd added the last line; knowing that it would send Maleficent over the edge; _not winning_, and ultimately she'd be forced to talk through everything with Aurora. Feeling a bit better once she'd sent the message, she grabbed a beer out of the fridge and slid down onto the couch next to Esme, who was still grinning at her failed attempts to sort out her mess.

* * *

Against all odds, the following day when Aurora sat down next to Matteo Gaggia in the lecture hall, she'd only had time to stare out the window for a minute or two before the doors of the lecture hall opened and a familiar figure walked in, in absolute _grace_ and _beauty_. Her hair was tied into a tight ponytail, leaving only a couple of strands around her face. Her white dress-shirt, with a few buttons undone, was neatly tucked into a skin-tight black leather skirt that matched the colour of her heels perfectly. As angry as Aurora was, having gotten no reply to her text, she couldn't help but admit that the way Maleficent looked this morning made her melt a little bit inside. The reasons why she was so completely and utterly stricken by her all seemed to build up in what she was seeing now – until she locked eyes with the teacher.

There was a sharpness to Maleficent's eyes as they wandered the lecture hall, checking who was present and who was not. There was no bright smile to go with her red lips; her eyes simply travelled, not even stopping on Aurora, who felt slightly disappointed. Once she was done with her inspection, she walked over to her bag on her desk.

"Buongiorno", she said nonchalantly, finally curving the corners of her mouth upwards into a mesmerizing smile, as if she was truly happy with seeing everyone. "Oggi cominciamo con _La solitudine dei numeri primi_ di Paolo Giordano. Qualcuno ha letto questo libro?" She looked around the class to see if anyone had been diligent enough to actually read in advance the literature stated on the course program. She smiled a bit brighter as Matteo Gaggia's hand shot up. Next to him, Aurora rolled her eyes.

"Bene", she continued, nodding at Gaggia. "E come è?"

Aurora peaked at Gaggia, who seemed utterly nervous to actually have the Professor's eyes on him. He nodded, signaling he was pleased with the book, and coughed a bit to get his voice up. "C'è una frase che amo." He swallowed as Maleficent nodded, urging him to continue. "_Vivevano la lenta e invisibile compenetrazione dei loro universi, come due astri che gravitano intorno a un asse comune, in orbite sempre più strette, il cui destino chiaro è quello di coalescere in qualche punto dello spazio e del tempo._"

Aurora couldn't help but notice the satisfied and _real_ smile that spread on Maleficent's face, and she wished she'd been able to understand better what it was that made her teacher look so pleased. Something looked like it fluttered in her eyes as she took a couple of steps towards where she and Gaggia were sitting, still keeping her distance, though.

"La traduzione?" she asked, casting a glance at the rest of the class.

"Umm", Gaggia mumbled, searching for words. "_They lived the slow and invisible interpenetration of their universes, like two stars gravitating around a common,_ um, _axis, in ever tighter orbits, whose clear destiny is to… coalesce at some point in space and time._"

Maleficent's eyes shot directly at Aurora, only for a moment or two, but Aurora had spent some much time staring she knew exactly what to look meant as she was, at that very moment with the phrase of the book lingering in her ears, thinking the exact same thing. Flutter in her chest, she watched Maleficent raise one eyebrow before she turned to hand out the copies of the first five chapters of _La solitudine dei numeri primi_.

During the rest of the lesson, Aurora knew Maleficent was avoiding her on purpose. She didn't seem neither defeated nor upset, she simply just… taught. Staring at the clock above the white board, there were only a couple of minutes before the class would end.

And as it did, the scrambling of chairs and desks took over the lecture hall as people made their way out in order to avoid the ever-so-long daily lunch-queue. Everyone, except for Aurora. She did pack her things and she did exchange a few words with the others, but she didn't follow. As the doors of the lecture halls loudly clicked shut, there was only silence. She turned her head to look at her teacher, who was facing the white board, reading through everything she'd written there during class. Feeling a surge of confidence, Aurora walked as silently as she could towards her until she was standing right behind her.

A hot breath on Maleficent's neck made her startle, but before she could turn around to beat the hell out of whoever had the guts to invade her personal space, strong hands grabbed her by the hips, pushing her slightly against the board, keeping her in place. She recognized the feel of the grip immediately. "Let me go", she hissed, grabbing the hands that were holding her in place.

"Learn to answer your goddamned phone", Aurora whispered into her ear, making Maleficent turn around in her grasp, emerald eyes burning into blue ones. Aurora exhaled. "Why _didn't you_ answer _me_?"

"Why _didn't you_ tell _me_ that puppy-eyed golden-boy is your sodding boyfriend?" Maleficent snapped, but still calm and composed. She hadn't backed out of Aurora's grasp, but in spite of being aroused by her touch she let another feeling flood her; anger. Wherever this girl had found this new amount of courage and confidence, she needed to return it right now.

"Because he isn't", she replied sharply. "If you had called me back you'd know that, you stubborn tease. He was in my life for a long time, but I have moved on. I don't want to be with him when all I think about is you."

Maleficent took a deep breath and folded her arms across her chest. "I don't do this", she hissed between her teeth, holding her head high.

"You don't do what?" Aurora frowned, her grip on the woman's hips tightening, as if she could sense she was about to back up.

"I don't do drama", she replied. "If there is someone infatuated with you, I wish to have no part of it." She paused and quickly looked down, steadying herself. "I wrote to you last night."

Aurora raised her eyebrows. "You wrote to me? How?"

Maleficent sighed, and then softened a bit more. "I sent you an e-mail through my anonymous account yesterday so that today wouldn't be awkward on anyone's part. I assume you've not received it."

"No, I…" Aurora began, not really understanding that Maleficent had _actually_ done that. "I slept over at Esme's to get away from him. I'll read it tonight. What did you say?"

"I _don't_ do heart-to-hearts either", she replied, a hint of a smile in the corner of her mouth.

"Well, what _do_ you do, then?" Aurora asked, taking a step forward, making Maleficent back up against the white board. She was feeling extremely intrigued.

Maleficent smiled. She had to give it to her; the girl was courageous. She'd stayed true to herself and not once let continuous rejections defeat her. "I do as I please", she replied, raising an eyebrow, very much aware of the almost non-existent proximity between them. "Weren't those your exact words, Miss Briars?"

_She's so doing that on purpose_, Aurora grinned, certain that her teacher knew how much the formal addressing made her head feel dizzy. "Are you daring me now, Maleficent?" she asked softly.

"That's Miss Minardi, if you please", the brunette replied in return, consciously pushing Aurora's buttons with the intention of eventually making the girl snap to see if she truly was ready to get on this ride.

"No, I don't think it is", Aurora smiled sweetly, confident that the so called innocence that appeared every once in a while was one of the things her teacher liked most about her. "I think we're past all of that, now. I also think we're past you keeping this dark and witty charade up. Would it be so horrible to finally succumb to me?"

"I don't succumb to _anyone_", Maleficent replied. "If you want to pursue this you had better know that it is _you_ who will succumb to _me_."

Aurora was now completely pressed up against her, feeling her teacher's chest heaving against her own, fighting the fact that her voice was so husky and sensual, she felt all the air leave her lungs. Mischievous, narrowed eyes were staring into her blue ones, not blinking, challenging her. Out of words to speak, Aurora let her instincts take control and one of her hands travelled up to her teacher's neck as the other one slid down her thigh, mimicking Maleficent's movements from the night at _Plush_. Aurora hooked her hand beneath the brunette's right knee, and then brought her thigh up against her hip. As she did so, the skirt travelled higher, revealing the edges of Maleficent's black, silky stay-ups. "_Oh, fuck me_", Aurora groaned as she saw what her teacher was wearing.

"That can be arranged", Maleficent whispered in return, eyes shooting down to Aurora's mouth.

Wrapping her slender fingers around the older woman's neck, Aurora tightly held her in place while gazing upon her pillowy lips. They were again parted and Maleficent was breathing faster than before, her own hands pressed against the board, searching for something to grip. Aurora let her eyes wander over the beauty in her arms one last time before she decided that this was the end of their little mating game. Pressing her eyes shut, she tightened her grip on the woman's neck and thigh before she finally captured her prey; pressing her lips against hers, she felt a surge of heat shoot through her. Maleficent's mouth was incredibly soft and warm and as their noses brushed Aurora realized she smelled incredible. She'd imagined that kissing her would feel exciting, soft and sensual, yet having the brunette pinned was a turn-on she hadn't seen coming. She deepened the kiss, moving her hand from Maleficent's neck to her jaw, and when Aurora finally needed to take a breath she broke the contact, opening her eyes.

Maleficent was looking at her lips, catching her breath herself. She moved her hands up and pressed them against Aurora's collarbones, preparing the girl for rejection, but to her surprise her teacher's hands sneaked around her shoulders onto her upper back, pulling her close and clashing their mouths together for a second time. Maleficent let out a deep moan into Aurora's mouth; a sign that she'd finally given up some of that control she so bluntly insisted on having. Aurora seized the moment to press her tongue against her teacher's lips, prying her mouth open, invading every part of her until the woman shivered in her arms. Months of pent-up tension seemed to explode within seconds and Maleficent found herself squeezing Aurora closer with her thigh, desperate for contact where she needed it the most. She was pulsating. She hooked her leg around the back of Aurora's calf and gave her a slight grind with her hips, signaling exactly what she wanted.

Aurora broke the kiss and took a deep breath, feeling euphoria surge through her veins. Victory and satisfaction flooded her, but at the same time she wanted everything, _now_. Maleficent turned her face when Aurora went to give her one last kiss.

"You may come to me once you're done with whatever is it is you have going on", Maleficent whispered.

_Ever so feisty_. Aurora smiled, then leaned in, hovering just by the brunette's ear. "I'm done."

* * *

Aurora stopped by her apartment that evening, intending on packing another bag of some of her clothes, personal effects and toiletries. She'd had dinner at Esme's, relieved to finally be able to say that things had gone forward – and also hinting that she might, from now on, sleep over at someone else's… She smiled as she opened the door to her apartment, surprised to find the lights on. Phillip was usually playing basketball with John at this time. Frowning, she placed her keys and bag by the door, then walked a little further into the living-room.

"_I am not offended nor am I upset about recent events_", came Phillip's loud voice from the bedroom. Aurora stopped in her tracks. The words he was saying certainly fit, but after three years with him she knew that was _not_ the way he expressed himself.

"_Although, surprise is a feeling one must embrace…_" he continued. Aurora walked closer to the bedroom door. _"… and I must say, disappointment walks hand in hand with the previous one. But you have ripped a hole in me and I am still uncertain how to sew it up_."

Phillip was sitting on the bed with _her_ computer in his lap. As Aurora entered, he didn't look up, simply continued reading from her screen. All warmth disappeared from her fingers as she realized _what_ he was reading. "_Do not mistake my silence for ignorance. Simply understand, that the situation is peculiar and neither of the alternatives at hand come without judgment. That said…_" He stopped and wiped his face with the back of his hand. "_If you manage to find a reasonable explanation for what I witnessed, meeting what you desire is the option I am inclined to. If that is still your wish, Aurora._"

She felt anger and panic build up inside of her. He finally looked up, eyes watery. She'd only once seen him cry and now it was her turn to feel like she'd been completely ripped open – not because he was completely defeated but because he'd managed to get his hands on something that was too personal to be shared with anyone. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Aurora hissed, clenching her fists.

"Who is this from?" Phillip groaned, getting up in one swift movement. He moved closer to her, but she didn't flinch. "Aurora, what have you done?"

She stayed silent, simply staring at him. It was none of his business anymore.

"Aurora!" he yelled, finally making her back up. "Who is that e-mail from and what have you been doing behind my back?!" He grabbed her shoulders and shook her hard, clearly pressing for the answers he needed. Aurora grabbed his hands, once again trying to push him off of her. He shook her until his face suddenly went from angry to stunned, and immediately let go of her. And she _knew_.

"It's from _her_, isn't it?" he whispered. "No guy writes like that. It's from that woman we saw at _Joe's_, that… _Our teacher_." The tone in his voice was ordering Aurora to answer, but she stood her ground.

And then it came. Without even realizing what had happened, the skin on Aurora's cheek started stinging and burning and her head flew to the side, almost making her fall over. Her hand flew up to her cheek and she turned to look at him, wide-eyed. One fist raised higher than the other, he stood there staring at her with a look of fury, anger and regret. As he tried to touch her, she snapped and backed away, simply shaking her head. Without saying a word, he pulled his fingers through his hair, then looked down and hurried into the living-room. Aurora heard the door slam shut, and she let out a deep breath.

What had happened went beyond things that were possible in Aurora's mind. The pain bringing tears to her eyes, she stumbled towards the door to retrieve her purse and phone. Her fingers shook as she dialed.

"_Hello?" _

"Dad", she whispered, trying her best not to burst into tears.

"_Aurora what's wrong?_" Her father's voice had immediately gone to serious and she could picture his face in front of her.

"It's over with me and Phillip", she whispered. "He, uh… He did something and I, I don't…"

"_Sweetheart, where are you?_"

She took a deep breath and felt pressure in her chest, telling her just to let go and cry. "Home", she gasped. "Something happened and he, uh, he- he hit me. I don't understand, Dad. He's never done anything like that!" She was whimpering now, but there was no response. The line was silent. "Dad?"

"_Honey, I'm in L.A., I'll be back later this week. Is there someone you can go to? Do you have a place where he won't find you? If you do, get over there, right now, and stay there until I get back._"

She cried softly and gasped a few times before replying. "Yes", she whispered. "Yes, I know a place." And she did. Hanging up the phone and taking a couple of labored breaths, and she knew exactly where she'd be safe and where she needed to be.

* * *

_**Oh my, are we in trouble. **_

**_Review & PM if you please! XX - D._ **


	10. Clues

**Quick technicality-update before moving forward; this chapter contains a lot of information necessary for the plot development, as well as background information. I'll try and update as soon as possible again! Hope everyone had a good weekend, enjoy.**

**PS. The rating will from now on go from T to M based on adult language, violence & mature themes. So if you're waiting for an update, check the M-section of Maleficent ;) Ciao!**

* * *

The water-vapored smoke from Diaval's electronic cigarette filled his sister-in-law's living room as he sat on her couch, the glass table in front of him covered in police reports, photographs and notes. He could hear the soft voices of Maleficent and his daughter coming from the bedroom, and smiled to himself as he heard his girl protesting.

"But _why_ can't I sit with you?" Sarah asked, pouting.

Maleficent sighed and looked down at the beautiful little girl sitting on her bed. She bent down, hands on her knees, then went to caress the girl's cheek. "Because, Daddy and I have some work we have to do, and we'll do it so much faster if we can talk in private." She'd never been good with children, but Sarah had luckily touched her in a different way. This child wasn't annoying and unbelievably needy for attention – like Maleficent thought all other children were – and as she was honest with herself, she saw a huge amount of herself in the little girl. Touching Sarah's bronze hair and giving her a tight hug, she felt warmth instead of irritation and frustration. The girl grabbed her cheeks and pinched them slightly.

"I'm going to beat all of your Candy Crush-levels", she threatened, giving her aunt the brightest of smiles.

Maleficent giggled and kissed the girl on the nose. "I'm sure you will, sweetheart. Now, put your headphones on and if you want something, _yell_. Don't come out, all right?" She put her iPad into Sarah's hands and winked at her as she walked back into the living room and closed the door behind her.

"I'm sorry", Diaval muttered as Maleficent sat down beside him.

"Harry, it's fine", she replied, grabbing one of the folders. "I hope playing that game will finally make her sick of sweets. Maybe I should have given her a pineapple."

Diaval chuckled and looked at her. She'd curled up into the corner of the couch in her gray robe, with a pen between her teeth, carefully reading through the pathology-report about Jasmine Chandra. Every now and then she shot a glance at Diaval, who was sighing heavily and massaging his temples between cigarette-puffs.

"You're going to choke on yourself if you keep that up", Maleficent mumbled, her gaze returning to the file.

"Isn't this eating you up?" Diaval asked, turning his head to look at her. She glared at him from beneath her glasses and gave him a hint of a smile as a response. "You're thick-skinned, aren't you?"

"Well I did see this girl", she replied, slamming the file shut. "Seeing something I've already seen doesn't really make me re-live it. It just… saddens me." For a second she could hear Aurora's frantic cries in her head.

"Found anything?" he asked, looking at the file she'd shut.

"Maybe", she whispered, taking off her glasses. "I wonder…" She paused and stared at the black TV-screen across from them. "We're missing something. There has to be some kind of connection between all of these girls, and the further this goes the more I'm starting to feel like someone is misleading us on purpose. I just want to kick myself because I cannot find it."

"Well neither can I", he comforted. "And there's nothing new on that missing girl, Jessica Roberts. No trace and no body. She's just vanished." Another deep breath. "Look, we're just going to have to go through all of this again. You take three and four; I'll take one and two. From the top, shall we?"

"From the top", she nodded, and then leaned towards the table to gather all the information about the last two victims. Diaval did the same concerning the first two after getting himself a beer.

"All right", he began, taking a sip. "Victim number one; Tina Collins. Law-student, third year, registered at Dartmouth but had a permanent apartment in Boston. Pathology-report ruled cause of death to be a fatal blow to the head, although there were elements of strangling. It looks like it was the internal bleeding in the brain that got her, not the lack of oxygen. She's described here as career-orientated and private. Worked part-time as an intern for SB Corporations, a high-profile construction business in Boston, but no-one has been able to tell us how she ended up here. None of her friends had gotten a message that she'd be here on that weekend she was killed."

"Okay, hold on", Maleficent said and raised her hand. "She just suddenly drove two hours out here for no apparent reason? Her teachers hadn't requested her presence?"

"No", Diaval replied, slightly shaking his head. "Note?"

"Note", she replied, writing '_Why was she in Hanover instead of Boston_' into her notebook. "All right, if there's nothing else then start with the second one."

He switched files and sighed loudly before beginning again. "Victim number two; Anna Ryan, twenty-two years old. Also law-student, but had no internships at the current moment. She lived right here on campus, no boyfriend. Pretty secluded girl. Um, pathologist stated that she too had gotten a blow to the head, not fatal though. She was strangled in every sense of the word, cause of death being hypoxic state in the brain, then asphyxia." He took a pause, glaring at Maleficent, but she sat still, calmly and quietly with a neutral expression. "As you already know, she had those bruises on her ankles. According to police officer Marks, Anna and Tina had been very close friends before Tina began her internship just a month before she was killed."

"Hmm", Maleficent sighed, staring at her notes. Her mind was racing. "Coincidence?"

"Could be", Diaval replied with uncertainty in his voice. "But we can't rule out the fact that Tina Collins was the reason why Anna Ryan got killed. Maybe Anna knew something she shouldn't have. Maybe Tina told her something?"

"Yes, but _what_…?" she mumbled while writing. Forehead frowned she put her notes to the side and opened one of the folders in her lap. A knot had begun forming itself in her throat. "Victim number three; Samantha Harding, twenty years old. Freshman at Dartmouth, psychology and law, described as extremely social and caring by her friends. The _correct_ report – Jesus what a cock-up – states cause of death was fatal stab wound to the chest, severing the aorta. Christ, that's one perfect stab wound, she died immediately. She was weighted down by her feet into the river post-mortem. No connection to either of the victims and the police have not been able to reach her boyfriend, Josh Abbott, also a student here."

"Yes, he's… was in my class", Diaval mumbled, once again massaging his temples. "Bloody hell."

"He's been reported missing by his parents", Maleficent continued, disbelief on her face. "Well, that is _not_ a coincidence." She scribbled down a few notes, then read a couple of lines from the file. "After our fourth victim, the police interviewed her friends again, asking about connections. They all stated that Samantha and Jasmine Chandra had a good and friendly relationship, casually meeting up." As she opened the fourth file, the first thing she saw was a yearbook-picture of a beautiful and glowing girl with the most innocent smile. Her eyes lingered on Jasmine, then she cleared her throat. "Fourth victim; Jasmine Chandra, twenty-one years old. Criminology, same as her boyfriend John Brigham. Blow to the left side of the head, caused external and internal bleeding. Cause of death multiple stab wounds to the chest and lungs." For a moment Maleficent felt Jasmine's blood splatter onto her as she tried blowing air into the girl's lungs. She shrugged. "John Brigham was out of town together with Phillip Danielson that weekend, so he's clear. He's also got an alibi for two of the previous murders." Maleficent's eyes narrowed as she stared at Phillip's name in front of her. Flashes of his and Aurora's kiss appeared before her eyes; _hands on Aurora's face and lips claiming her mouth_. She quickly shook it off, telling herself she was _not_ jealous.

"So basically we've got nothing except for Tina Collins' reason to be out here, her connection with Anna Ryan plus the fact that Anna Ryan's feet were tied, unlike the others. To me it feels like the killer wanted more time with her." Diaval buried his head in his hands, almost ready to throw in the towel.

"He left Jasmine alive", Maleficent whispered to herself.

"What's that?" Diaval asked, frowning. He leaned a bit closer to her.

"Jasmine was alive when I found her", Maleficent repeated, meeting his gaze. "He stabbed her in the lungs. I tried to revive her, and she just choked on her own blood." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, leaning her head backwards. "It felt personal somehow. He'd left her there to suffer, knowing she wouldn't survive. She felt all that pain before it was over_." Blood on her hands and in her hair_. "It was personal."

"So he knew her", Diaval said, letting himself sink into the couch, utterly exhausted from the amount of information in his head every hour of every day. "She'd angered him somehow. Maybe she struggled. Shit, I feel like we're getting nowhere."

"That's because we aren't getting anywhere, Harry." She turned her head, but he avoided her eyes. She looked at her fingers, conflicted between the pride she had and the fact that they'd reached a place where they needed help. "Maybe I should ask Aurora."

"I beg your pardon?" Diaval grinned, this time turning his head, but Maleficent had gone back to staring in front of her. "_Au-ro-ra_? Darling, am I supposed to read something between the lines here?"

Maleficent pressed her eyes shut, but no matter how hard she tried, she wasn't able to disguise her smile. The corners of her mouth pulled upwards and she raised her hand up against her forehead. _Busted_. "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Diaval repeated, unable to hold his laughter anymore. "Oh dear God, do _not_ tell me you two still got it on after that night? I cannot handle this information right now."

Memories made Maleficent's smile decrease a bit, but the thought of Aurora still kept her looking rather pleased. "We did not _get it on_, Harry, no one uses that expression. But something happened… I'm quite ashamed to say that I am indeed very much enjoying the company of her." She opened one eye to meet Diaval's judgmental stare. "Her boyfriend seemed rather unaware of Aurora's feelings. I didn't even know he existed. I had the pleasure of witnessing the two of them working things out with half of the school watching last weekend. Actually, it wasn't that pleasurable at all."

"You didn't know about Briars and Danielson?" Diaval asked with raised eyebrows. "Oh please, they were the golden couple of the school, so sweet and adorable together." He clenched his jaw. _I should not have said that_.

Maleficent turned to look at him, face a tad colder. "Why thank you for making me feel guilty now."

"Sorry", he whispered, and moved over to put his hand around her shoulders. "You shouldn't. The only thing you _should_ feel is afraid."

"_I'm_ not –"

"Yes, yes, yes, I know", he cut in, grinning. "_You're_ not afraid. All I'm saying is, you need to have a plan if you're about to lose your knickers." With that, he earned a slap from her on his arm. "If the board finds out they'll do your head in, so you better have some sort of back-up story if this gets out."

"It's not going to get out", Maleficent replied. "She's aware of what's at stake."

"Yes, I'm sure her intelligence is the part of her that fascinates you the most, isn't it?" he chuckled, earning another slap.

"It's not just physical", Maleficent whispered, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "She's so vibrant all the time. It's like everything around her is sacred. She walks with this smile and takes in everything around her." She paused for a second to visualize Aurora in front of her. _Golden hair, insanely blue eyes with a hint of sapphire and a character that just screams that she might be the most innocent yet naughtiest girl in the world_. Maleficent felt her heart skip as she recalled Aurora's hand on her thigh and the sweet taste of her mouth. Again, she shrugged it off. "She's so perky and blonde and not at all my type", she muttered, then bit her lip and glared up at him. "I think I might really fancy her."

"Well, I won't say a word", Diaval whispered, giving her a soft kiss on the top of her head. "But I don't want to hear students calling you '_Professor Shags-Her-Students'_. Just make sure that this time you won't get hurt, all right?"

"I _don't_ get hurt", she replied, being back to her confident, icy self.

"Yes, well, I do have a right to feel differently about that", he smiled, squeezing her shoulders hard before gathering the files into a pile and taking out his electronic cigarette again. "I think we're done here for now. I'm going to take Sarah home. It's getting late anyway. You're all right?"

She nodded, looking at him. Diaval recognized a hint of worry in her eyes, mixed with a look she wore whenever she'd realized something important. He raised his eyebrows, asking what she was thinking of. In response, she exhaled slowly and her eyes shot down to the files in his hands. "I think we need to take a closer look at Jessica Roberts. I know she's simply missing, but somehow I'm sure she's involved in all of this. Can you get her file?"

"I'm sure it will be all right with the Sheriff", he nodded. "Do you want me to leave these here?"

She looked at the files for a bit, wrinkles on her forehead as she was thinking. "Yes… I might take another look at them before bed. I'll bring them with me to work tomorrow, around twelve?"

"Sounds like a plan", he replied, putting his electronic cigarette into his pocket and heading for the bedroom. Maleficent could hear him softly speaking to Sarah, and a moment later he appeared from her bedroom with the sleepy-looking little monster in his arms, headphones way-too-big for her wrapped around her neck. Maleficent smiled and got up.

"Is she sleeping?" she whispered, stopping next to them and bringing her hand up to stroke Sarah's hair. The girl didn't move, hands tightly wrapped around her father's neck.

"Poor thing fell asleep with the iPad in her hands", Diaval replied, nudging his nose into the girl's hair. "We'll see each other tomorrow then."

"Yes", she replied and walked through the living room to open the door for Diaval and his daughter. He gave her a smile as he carried her out, and Maleficent softly shut the door behind them.

As soon as they were gone, silence took over the apartment and she was left alone with her thoughts; thoughts of Aurora and everything she and Diaval had talked through tonight. Sighing, she walked to the stereo by the TV and put the radio on, then got her own not-so-electronic cigarettes from the pocket of her jacket. She tiptoed out onto the balcony, wrapped herself into the quilt she'd left out there and watched the flame from her lighter light up the little killing device. She inhaled, closed her eyes, then exhaled the smoke softly. There was a tightness in her chest, partially because of the folders resting on her living room table, partially because she hadn't heard _anything_ from Aurora since the girl had left the lecture hall. Telling herself there was no need to worry, that the girl was probably just sorting through things at home or maybe had gone over to a friend's, she listened to the burning sound of the cigarette whenever she inhaled, then finally put it out into the ashtray on the little wooden table next to her.

The street was quiet. She could hear the distant sound of an owl and the wind suddenly blew her hair into a mess, making her skin shiver beneath her thin robe. It had suddenly become so cold. She hurried back inside, eyes immediately resting on the files on the table. She felt on edge and at the same time even a little bit nervous. Biting the insides of her cheeks, she walked to the kitchen to check her phone.

_Nothing_, just a picture of her beautiful niece smiling at her.

Exhaling, she closed her eyes and brought her hand up to her neck. Since when had she begun feeling like this?

_I think we're past all of that, now. I also think we're past you keeping this dark and witty charade up. Would it be so horrible to finally succumb to me? _

Her eyes shot open and she walked straight into the bathroom, turning the tap and splattering some cold water onto her face. As she dried off she saw her own reflection in the mirror. She'd looked like this before, right before her world had fallen apart and she'd been left with only pieces of herself to tape together without any glue to use. She pushed her hair out of her face and opened the door to the cupboard underneath the sink, searching for her toothbrush, when a couple of knocks on her door interrupted her.

She quickly looked down to make sure her robe was still tightly closed, then headed for the door, shooting a look at the clock. 9.34 PM. She sighed, knowing she should give Diaval a bit of a shout for making his daughter stay up this late. _What did he forget this time_, she thought to herself as she turned the doorknob and opened the door – and immediately felt all the colour disappear from her face.


	11. Scent

_You're like a drug that's killing me, I cut you out entirely, but I get so high when I'm inside you. I'm preying on you tonight, hunt you down, eat you alive. Maybe you think that you can hide, I can smell your scent for miles_ – (edited) Levine, Blanco & Shellback

Throughout her life, Maleficent had experienced a range of different feelings; she'd felt the uttermost terror from following Diaval through his work for the Scotland Yard, she'd felt every bone in her body crack from the sight of her sister taking her last breath next to her, she'd felt her heart get shattered into a million pieces from the simple act of finally giving herself permission to lose control and simply trust, and through this all she'd eventually felt the cold, consuming ground of rock bottom. Nevertheless, the feeling rushing all the blood out of her head was now none of the above. As her eyes travelled to the purple bruise right next to Aurora's left eye, she felt something inside of her break.

Out of panic, or perhaps out of the fact that the thing breaking inside of her gave hers the green light to push her icy exterior aside, Maleficent slowly started raising her hand, but Aurora lightly shook her head, making the brunette's hand stop in mid-air. Realizing Aurora did not want to be touched – that she'd come for something else – Maleficent lowered her hand and simply stayed still in the doorway, one hand still resting on the doorknob, and her heart throbbing in her chest from the need to know what had happened to the blonde before her.

Aurora breathed slowly as the words she'd repeated in her head during her cab-ride seemed to fade, and all she was left with was the vision in front of her; she'd expected to see Maleficent like she always saw her; strict, perfectly dressed, face tense like she was examining a thesis. What struck Aurora the most now, was how natural the woman in front of her looked; brown tresses gradually cascaded around her sharp face, the grey robe softly covering her curves, slightly exposing the upper part of her chest. As Aurora's eyes lowered, she realized the she was barefoot. If she hadn't been so lost in taking in what had been given to her, a smile would've formed itself on her lips. Without the makeup and the harsh shell, Maleficent looked enchanting.

The foremost reason why Aurora had decided that this was the place where she had to be was the aching need for comfort. Phillip's fist on her face had opened a door to all the sorrow she'd carried inside of herself these past weeks; the sorrow of being trapped in a relationship she didn't feel she belonged in, the sorrow of losing one of her best friends to a series of events she didn't even understand, and ultimately the sorrow of not being able to be brave enough and touch the one she wanted the most. While seeing Maleficent, comfort had suddenly changed into something fiercer. Whenever imagining herself with her teacher, it was always the brunette's hands and mouth upon her skin she ached for. She'd driven herself crazy imagining the weight of Maleficent's body upon hers, her delicate fingers pleasing her exactly like she wanted, at the same time breathing in the scent of her soft, delicate skin. But that was _not_ what she wanted now.

The silence was incredibly heavy, both of them at a loss of words. As Maleficent stood still and stared at her with her mouth slightly parted, emerald eyes burning beneath black, thick lashes, Aurora knew she needed to see the woman come _undone_. Not to make herself feel better, but because something had started pulsating in her lower stomach at the thought of her touching her teacher. She needed to hear the explicit moans she'd thought of so often. She needed to feel the woman inside out and just _maybe_ let herself drown in her completely, leaving out all the rest.

As the girl took a step towards her, Maleficent's fight-or-flight mode immediately switched on and she quickly took a step back, her instincts telling her she was in a much too vulnerable position right now. She needed to be in control, dominating as she was, but Aurora had disarmed her with her sudden fearless behavior. There was no plea or sharp words, just a look in the girl's eyes that could only mean one thing: _hunger_. And at the sight of the glistening look in her pupils, Maleficent continued walking backwards, hoping she'd reach the place all of her self-confidence had suddenly run to before Aurora would put her hands on her, but unfortunately her back hit the wall next to her kitchen counter before she'd retrieved her vanished façade.

Aurora tossed her bag onto the floor and continued forward until there were only two feet between her and her prey. Her mind was racing, but no coherent words formed until her teacher's voice rang in her ears from a few days back: _'I don't succumb to anyone'_. The memory of her voice making the flame inside Aurora's chest flutter, she let her eyes wander over the brunette in front of her. Studying, she realized all traces of control and power had disappeared from Maleficent's face, and to her surprise she looked almost startled. Breathing hard, palms pressed against the wall, her eyes never left Aurora's, simply waiting for her next move.

_It was a game_. Aurora knew that even though her teacher was in a very disarmed state, it was in her nature not to let herself go when forced to. Seeing Maleficent's loss of authority, she found herself getting excited and her eyes lingered on the gray belt keeping Maleficent's robe tied. Not wanting to stop herself now, Aurora's hands reached between them, resting on the knot of the belt.

Maleficent inhaled sharply at the girl's daring actions. Suddenly everything was different about Aurora. There was no silent need for approval in her gaze, nor were there any hints of fear. It was now _she_ who looked confident, aware of what she wanted, as it suddenly had become clear to Maleficent what _that_ was, and the thought made her shiver.

Never having acted like this with a woman, Aurora couldn't help but feel a sudden jolt of hesitation, but after all this was a woman she'd coveted for so long now. Trusting herself, she relied on her instincts telling her what to do. Determination returning to her, her hands traced Maleficent's robe from the belt upwards until she reached the part where cloth revealed skin, between her breasts. Exhaling slowly, she started spreading the fabric to the sides. The robe hadn't been that tightly bound and the soft fabric easily slipped over the brunette's breasts until she'd exposed them completely. Gazing down, Aurora could swear the vision made her dizzy and made her mouth water.

Maleficent looked down self-consciously, blinking a couple of times, before returning her gaze to Aurora's eyes. The girl was staring at her exposed chest, looking neither pleased nor disappointed. She felt a surge of want to close her robe up, but before she could move her hands Aurora had raised one of hers, now tracing the valley between her breasts, her index-finger sending goose-bumps all over Maleficent's body. Exhaling, Aurora's eyes locked onto the brunette's.

Resisting temptation to take all she wanted at that very moment, Aurora searched Maleficent's eyes for any hint of discomfort or resistance, but her expression was neutral. Emerald orbs meeting Aurora's sapphire ones, her gaze was almost pleading, as if she didn't know herself what she truly wanted. _'I'd take you anyhow you wanted'_, Aurora heard herself say in her head. And that was enough; she was keeping her word.

Hands shooting back to the belt holding the middle part of Maleficent's robe closed, she tugged at it until it loosened up, revealing the edge of her lacy, black underwear. She could feel another shudder go through the brunette, most likely surprised by the lack of fear Aurora felt. Her eyes had followed her fingers and she was now studying the black and gray patterns on the lace, biting back the need to immediately feel what was underneath.

Maleficent lowered her gaze, biting her lip. Aurora's eyes were roaming her, clearly conflicted with what was before her. She couldn't push it; she knew it had to be Aurora who would close the gap between them. Her pride hadn't completely disappeared yet, it was still very much alive, but this wasn't about pride. She knew this was something Aurora needed. _'I saw you. I really saw you, and you are beautiful. And I didn't understand you, but God, I loved you. Right away, I did.'_ Aurora's soft, pleading voice in her head, Maleficent decided it would make her no less superior to let the girl finally take _whatever she_ _wanted_, whatever Maleficent could give her.

As if making the final decision, Aurora's eyes came up to meet the brunette's as she quickly hooked her fingers around the lace underwear, eliciting a sudden gasp from the woman opposite her. Maleficent leaned her head back against the wall, eyes burning into Aurora's, pleasure quickly tingling on her skin. One of the girl's hands crept around Maleficent's waist, sliding down towards her robed bottom, lifting her a bit. Knowing what Aurora was thinking, Maleficent raised herself onto her toes and shamelessly sneaked one of her legs around Aurora's hip, ankle against her calf.

Aurora's eyes travelled down to where her hand was pressed against her teacher's moist core, and exhaled slowly before moving her fingers just a bit further down, again feeling the brunette take a sharp intake of breath. Momentarily she contemplated taking the woman's underwear off completely, but patience got the best of her. Closing the distance between them and pushing Maleficent tightly against the wall, she relished in the slickness against her fingers before slipping them inside of her, clashing their mouths together.

Maleficent's mouth felt just as soft as the velvet around Aurora's fingers. Pressing her eyes shut, she traced the woman's lips with her tongue as she curled her fingers, the most exquisite of moans leaving Maleficent's throat. Her eyes were tightly closed, her mouth agape as Aurora's fingers desperately moved inside of her. Her ankle pressed hard against Aurora's calf, then slid upwards to curl around the back of her thigh. If Aurora's lips hadn't been pressed against the brunette's skin, she would've smiled; being inside of her felt unbelievable, the wetness around her fingers telling her the woman was aroused beyond measure, making Aurora even surer of herself. Maleficent's hands had sneaked around her neck, pulling them closer together. Needing to hear more, Aurora released her mouth and bit down on her pulse point.

Just as Aurora had dreamed, Maleficent didn't disappoint. Piercing her skin with her teeth while sharply pulling her fingers in and out, the gasps and moans coming from the woman would've driven anyone insane. Her fingers were digging into Aurora's clothed shoulders, urging the blonde to move faster. She moved her hand to underneath Maleficent's bottom, lifting her a little bit higher against the wall. Whilst doing so she pressed her palm against the woman's slick folds, clearly hitting a spot that made her melt. She fell quiet for a moment, simply feeling the white jolts of pleasure shoot from her core to her chest and head, then bit back a gasp as Aurora pressed even harder.

Greedy as she was, almost sure it was all a dream, Aurora's hand went from Maleficent's bottom up to her face, aching to the very core to feel every part of the woman. Her fingers traced Maleficent's lips, looking at them as pleading moans escaped from her throat. As If something had hit her, she pushed two of her fingers past the brunette's lips into her mouth, feeling her throat vibrating from the moans of pleasure. Maleficent's lips closed around Aurora's fingers, hands now digging into the blonde locks, lips and tongue desperately sucking. Aurora released her, hand moving back down to caress the soft skin of her breasts while covering her neck in nibbling, wet kisses.

Maleficent turned her head to the side and whimpered into the air, clawing at the back of Aurora's shoulders. Through the physical pleasure something else had emerged; the need to be close to Aurora, a need for affection. The girl could feel her tighten around her violent fingers, and out of instinct she curled them even more, feeling something hard against the tips of her fingers. And Maleficent shook, relishing in the feel of Aurora against her and inside of her, again and again until she felt sweat drip between her breasts. Multiple colours flickering underneath her eyelids, she felt like she was about to choke on her own gasps, not being able to keep her breathing up with the girl's movements. As Aurora buried her face in the crook of Maleficent's neck, forehead covered in sweat and breaths uneven from arousal, Maleficent was struck with the need to feel the girl on top of her, thrusting between her thighs, adoring her body.

She lowered her leg from around Aurora's body and slid her hand down to where Aurora was pleasing her, grabbing her by the wrist and stopping her in her movements. Aurora opened her eyes and looked at her with confusion, but Maleficent gave her a smile between her labored breaths. Feeling slightly empty from the lack of Aurora inside of her, she sneaked her arms around the girl's waist and bottom, lifting her up. Aurora's legs immediately wrapped around her waist, her arms around her neck, still wondering what Maleficent was up to. As if reading the girl's thoughts, Maleficent whispered "_Bed_", quickly carrying Aurora into the next room.

* * *

Phillip was tossing and turning the cellphone in his hands, staring at the screen, then again flipping it around. Sitting on Aurora's side of the bed, his eyes went to her computer on the desk next to the bed. Anger and rage boiling up inside of him at the thought of the e-mail he'd read only hours earlier and even more so of the fact that he knew Aurora wasn't at Esme's, he shook his head, determined to do what _he_ thought was the right thing. Exhaling, he dialed John's number and brought the phone up to his ear.

"_Hey, man."_ John sounded like he had been sleeping.

"Hey", Phillip replied, massaging his right temple. "Look, I know it's late but I need you to do something for me."

"_Sure, what's going on?" _

Phillip stared at the computer, suddenly imagining himself being the person who was probably making _his girlfriend_ come at this very moment. Jealousy blinded him, and he had to keep himself from raising his voice. "I know your Dad is on the school board. I need you to make him set up a meeting for tomorrow afternoon."

"_Okay… Um, what's going on?" _

At the mental image of Aurora moaning and panting, he clenched his teeth together. "I want to report a sexual predator on campus." It was the only way he wanted to describe her. "I know that one of our teachers is having a relationship with a student. I need your Dad to handle this right now."

"_Shit, man."_ The line was silent for a bit_. "Who are they?"_

Phillip bit back a groan and looked up at the ceiling. _Aurora's eyes were locked on the Italian teacher passing them on the lawn, not even noticing he was pleading her to stay. Staring at Aurora, his girlfriend looked like she was going to break – but not because of him_. His hands were trembling from pure fury. Pushing aside the shame of what he needed to tell John, he bit back a growl and closed his eyes. "Minardi is fucking Aurora. Make this go away, _now_."

* * *

_**A/N: & it's done. Boom, clap. Since before I began this fic, I knew this was how I wanted it to go down. I sure hope I didn't disappoint, writing this was the hardest thing I've done in a bit. All you Malora-lovers better be happy - you haven't seen the end of it. Until the next chapter! XX – D.**_


	12. Dawn

Rays of sunlight filtered in through undrawn blinds. Maleficent awoke slowly, eyes narrow, lying in bed on her stomach with the covers up to her waist. She sighed deeply, body sore and vision blurry from the sleep in her eyes - eyes that widened the second she recalled last night's events.

"Oh dear God", she whispered, raising herself onto an elbow and covering her hand with her mouth. Biting her lower lip she peeked over her shoulder, expecting to see a sea of blonde curls sprawled out next to her, but the bed was empty. Aurora had been there, though; there was a bump in the pillow, telling Maleficent that the girl had recently been right there, next to her.

Judging from the light, it was still early. Looking around her bedroom, she could make out the steady rhythm of base coming from the other side of the door. The radio was obviously on, which meant she was not alone. Groaning, she lay back down onto her side and pulled her fingers through her hair. She didn't regret a thing.

"_God!" she moaned, fingers clawing at Aurora's bare back so hard they could've drawn blood. Lying in a pile of sweat and heat, the young girl bit down onto the skin of her hipbone, fingers clenching wildly at her pulsating walls inside of her, desperate to pump every ounce of pleasure there was. The tightening in her lower stomach was so agonizing she threw her head back and arched her spine, Aurora immediately moving her head up to kiss the underside of her breasts while bending two of her fingers until she had Maleficent writhing beneath her._

Groaning, she exhaled into the pillow, a wide smile taking over her mouth. Aurora lingered on her skin; giving into the girl had not at all felt like Maleficent had expected; instead of feeling guilty, submissive and greedy she felt calm, satisfied and _happy_. It had been a long time since her chest had been filled with warmth and the ache between her bare legs proved that Aurora had drained every last piece of pleasure from her body. Giggling softly, she shook her head, enjoying the incredible feeling of lightness.

_Aurora's lips hovered by her ear, one arm tightly holding onto her hips, pushing her down as the other one moved in and out of the wetness her arousal had caused, every slip of her fingers sending a lightning of white tremors to her head and toes. Her breath on her ear, Maleficent relished in being bad, being naughty, being bold and enjoying the right to crave more. Spurring the girl on, she hooked one of her legs over Aurora's shoulder and squeezed the girl completely onto her, her other hand sliding down between their slippery bodies. Aurora's voice was hoarse in her ear: "I want to hear you come." Slipping her own fingers between her folds and tracing circles, Aurora held her hips in place, making it impossible for her to get even a slightest pause from the excruciating pleasure. Tossing her face to the side, right into Aurora's locks, she gasped as warmth exploded between her legs and shot waves into her chest, head, arms and toes, vibrating and writhing frenziedly._

Flashbacks sending a jolt from her core to her chest, she swung the covers off and sat up on the side of the bed, feet on the cold, hardwood floor. What was Aurora feeling? The fact that she was still there had to mean she, too, had gotten what she wanted, but Maleficent still contemplated the possibility of the girl feeling shyer and more withdrawn that the night before. It wouldn't have surprised her: Aurora had shown sides she'd never imagined possible. Whenever picturing them in bed, Maleficent had thought of herself as the overriding part, Aurora's ragged breathing in her ear, her wrists tightly held down on the bed. But she had yet to see the girl succumb to _her_.

She found her absolutely ruined underwear on the floor by the bed, and grimaced as she quickly put them back on, knowing they'd go in the wash as soon as she knew Aurora was all right. Pulling one of the sheets from the bed, Maleficent wrapped it around her slender form and tip-toed to the door. She could make out Aurora's sweet voice, the beat... and _something_ else. There was a scent, as if something was burning. Carefully turning the knob, she entered the living room, holding onto the sheet with one hand and running the other through her thick tresses.

Peeking from around the corner into the open kitchen, she discovered Aurora by the stove, dressed in _her_ white dress shirt. Maleficent swallowed a gasp as her eyes travelled down to the girl's bottom, the edge of pink underwear barely visible. Aurora was softly moving to the beat, blocking Maleficent's ability to see what the girl was doing in her kitchen.

"_... I got this thing for you, if you come closer I can whisper in your ear..._"

The brunette couldn't help but giggle as the blonde was clearly very much singing and driven by the beat - like that night they had been on the dance floor together, grinding to the music. Maleficent brought her fingers up to her mouth, shamelessly taking in the blonde beauty in her kitchen.

"... _And if you wanna walk away I'll tell you all the things I know you want to hear..._"

Deciding she was satisfied with the show, she cleared her throat, making the blonde turn around. The smile Maleficent received might just have been the most beautiful, ever. Both Aurora's mouth and eyes displayed an authentic smile of pure happiness, stars glistening in the corners of her eyes. The bruise on her cheek looked slightly better. As Maleficent's eyes travelled lower, she discovered her shirt on Aurora was unbuttoned, the girl wearing nothing but her pink underwear underneath. Maleficent winked at the _Hello Kitty_ staring at her from Aurora's front.

"What's this?" Maleficent asked as she looked up, mostly referring to the sound of the frying pan. She leaned her body against the kitchen cupboards, studying the blonde.

Aurora smiled, eyes lingering on her lover's sharp cheekbones and perfectly toned skin. "Breakfast", she replied, giggling sweetly.

Maleficent snorted, eyebrows raised. "I _don't_ do breakfast", she hissed between her teeth, yet her smile never left her thick lips.

"Well you're going to have to start doing things, God!" Aurora shook her head, crossed her arms, on purpose pushing her breasts together, then stared the woman down. "I've made you pancakes and toast and I cook for _no-one_, so shut it, lady."

A delightful laughter burst out of Maleficent's mouth, totally taken off guard by Aurora's both playful and ordering tone. The girl watched her reaction, laughing herself, clearly contemplating whether to come and touch her or not. Not really knowing what kind of mood her teacher was in, she stayed by the safety of the lit stove.

Maleficent remained still, silently watching Aurora, until the girl looked herself up and down, shrinking under Maleficent's stare.

"What?" she asked, shutting the shirt a bit more.

"You're lovely", Maleficent whispered in response, not giving her reply another thought; it was honest and truthfully exactly what she felt. She held out her hand, gesturing Aurora to feel free to come into her embrace, but the girl stayed put.

"Don't ever forget it", she responded, switching the stove off, trying to salvage what was left of her cooking.

Maleficent felt herself become impatient as Aurora's focus was only on the breakfast. "Come to me", she commanded, bringing out her harsh faculty-tone.

Aurora quickly recognized the authority in her voice and knew not to push it. Folding her shirt to cover herself some more, she walked barefoot to the brunette, who was watching her every step. Once again, she was only two feet away from her love and the woman she yearned for.

"You were quite the beast last night", Maleficent grinned, brushing her fingers through Aurora's blonde locks.

"You liked it", Aurora snapped, letting go of her shirt, not caring that it fell open. Her hands wandered up to the brunette's clavicles, remembering how she'd kissed her there. "I had you _screaming_."

"And I will deny that to my grave", Maleficent replied, her hand slipping between Aurora's breasts. Now that she saw the girl in daylight, almost naked in her kitchen, her heart fluttered. "But I must say, you did please me. Delightfully."

Aurora leaned in for a kiss, once again feeling heat throughout her body from the physical contact. Grasping the woman's shoulders, she pulled her closer, tasting the inside of her mouth with her tongue, almost immediately struck by the need to have Maleficent underneath her again. But the brunette pried her hands away, stepping back to eye Aurora's bare breasts.

Aurora had absolutely no problem with her body, but she couldn't stop herself from flinching a bit as Maleficent looked at her. It wasn't that she was ashamed – she simply _needed_ the brunette to think _her_ beautiful. Watching Maleficent again bite her lower lip as her eyes lingered on Aurora's breasts, she felt a strong jolt of arousal between her legs.

As if Maleficent had read Aurora's mind, she nodded towards the kitchen counter behind her back. Knowing what she had in mind, Aurora backed up until her bottom hit the counter, Maleficent instantly lifting her up by her thighs, placing her there. She let go of the sheet, letting it fall to the floor, giving Aurora a sight to kill for; and as it was, the blonde's jaw dropped. The previous night she'd only seen Maleficent in twilight lighting, shadows cascading all over her body. Now, in the morning rays of the sun, she was ravishing.

Maleficent tugged _her_ shirt off of the blonde, sliding it down her arms, trapping them into the sleeves on either side of her body. Aurora wriggled to set herself free, but Maleficent grabbed her wrists, shaking her head.

"I want to touch you", Aurora breathed, lunging forward to kiss the woman holding her still, but she leaned her upper body backwards, unreachable.

"You already got yours, Beastie", she chuckled, seeing how much not being able to move annoyed the young blonde. The naughtiness from last night returned, along with the need to have _her way_ with the girl. "Now, I want _mine_."

The way she pronounced the last word made Aurora inhale sharply, overly pleased with the understanding that Maleficent wanted her as well, just as much. Before, Aurora had tortured her until her voice had become raucous and she'd had nothing left to give, finally falling asleep with the blonde's arms around her.

Figuring that letting all of that control finally subside probably had been one of the hardest things Maleficent had ever been forced to do, Aurora allowed the brunette to regain some of the dominance she'd given up to fulfill Aurora's need the night before. She relaxed her arms, signaling Maleficent could let her go.

And as she did, she went for Aurora's neck, biting her teeth into her skin just below her ear, making sure she got every last bit of taste from her. Aurora's head shot backwards and she gasped into the air, hands holding onto the edge of the counter. She eagerly parted her legs wider, using her feet to pull Maleficent closer. Conflicted between keeping her eyes closed and watching the woman of her daydreams, she tried to do both, but as one of Maleficent's hands slid down to her breasts, kneading and pinching, she pressed her eyes tightly shut and moaned into the hazel tresses.

Her mouth quickly followed, one hand around Aurora's waist keeping her still, the other caressing her right breast as she gently bit down on the rosy peak, desperate to have the blonde groaning in her lap.

And she did. It took every last bit of self-control for Aurora not to wiggle out of the shirt and grasp the brunette by her bottom. Turning her face so that her nose was nudged into her hair, she bit back the gasps the brunette was eliciting, every nibble of her teeth making jolts shoot back and forth from her center. Aurora could literally feel her walls clenching out of need as Maleficent continued teasing her.

The phone started ringing somewhere behind them in the kitchen. Maleficent opened her eyes momentarily, deciding it wasn't more important than the task at hand. Aurora's breasts not being nearly enough, she violently pulled at her underwear, backing up a bit to be able to get them off.

As the _Hello-Kitties_ fell to the floor, the counter was cold against Aurora's bare cheeks. Maleficent hadn't come back to her; she was standing about three feet away, gaze moving between Aurora's breasts and the revealed core between her thighs. She immediately closed her knees, suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable in broad daylight.

"Spread them", Maleficent commanded harshly, placing her hands onto Aurora's knees.

"No", Aurora whispered. She wasn't sure this was how she wanted the first time she'd feel the woman she coveted inside of her to be. Not that it really mattered, but she'd imagined them in candlelight, romantically making love on the floor.

Her daydreams didn't measure up to the sight before her though, but truth be told she wasn't feeling half as bold as she had before. As morning had come, everything had suddenly become _real_. And Aurora wanted it so, she needed it to be real, but as she'd finally gotten what she'd strived for, the fear of it being taken away from her was also very real and very paralyzing.

Realizing Aurora had some kind of internal struggle going on, Maleficent softened a bit, sighing heavily. The girl was young. Last night she'd proved that youth was no obstacle for being exactly what she needed, but Maleficent's authority was a whole other issue.

"Do you trust me?" she asked, raising her eyebrows, hands softly squeezing the thighs of the blonde, who slowly nodded. "Spread for me, now", she whispered, putting on her strict face. She didn't want to talk; she wanted to give the girl what she deserved for pleasing her so last night, but no matter how she'd told herself these months that this was only physical, Aurora's hesitation made something in her chest ache. She needed to feel the girl's spirit.

But Aurora obliged, having spent enough time listening to Maleficent's strict voice during class. She parted her legs, Maleficent's eyes immediately shooting down to between her thighs. Seeing her eyes move, Aurora gasped, shivers tingling on her skin. She'd expected Maleficent to get down on her knees, but instead she leaned forward, capturing Aurora's lips in a slow, delicate kiss with only a hint of eager. She was almost gentle, clearly understanding Aurora's fear.

As her hands started sliding upwards towards the apex of Aurora's thighs, leaving a trail of goose bumps, her breaths no longer following her heart beat, Aurora pressed her eyes shut, wiggling her hips towards Maleficent, silently succumbing to the woman in control. Surroundings no longer mattered; she knew she needed her _now_.

Apparently, so did someone else as well. As Maleficent's fingertips brushed the soft strand of hair between Aurora's thighs, her phone rang for a second time.

"I'll call them back", she whispered into Aurora's ear. The blonde only moaned in response, again trying to get Maleficent to press down harder onto her moist center. She heard a chuckle in her ear, the woman clearly enjoying her impatience.

"Please", Aurora gasped, again burying her face in Maleficent's hair. She was pulsating, desperate for something inside of her.

Maleficent smirked, planting a soft kiss onto Aurora's neck. Now it was _her_ turn to come out and play. "What do you want, _Miss Briars_?"

_Oh Jesus Christ_. Aurora yearned so hard it began hurting. She only managed to get out a couple of moans, her mind screaming for something – _anything_ – to satisfy her.

"I'm having trouble understanding you", Maleficent teased, her middle finger sliding between Aurora's slippery folds, gently rubbing. The girl quivered in her arms, her own hands still caught in the shirt. "Do you need me to repeat myself?"

"Just _fuck _me", Aurora finally gasped, inhaling the woman's scent. "Please stop teasing, just let me – "

The phone rang again. Maleficent groaned in frustration, her fingers suddenly disappearing from Aurora.

_Don't you dare!_ Aurora managed to think before the woman had backed out from between her spread legs and walked around the counter to retrieve her phone. Aurora squeezed her eyes shut in pure disappointment and frustration, contemplating whether she could be bold enough to touch herself – anything to make the ache go away. Quickly she decided that even though her feelings were stronger than anything, she wasn't _that_ comfortable yet.

"Hello?" came Maleficent's labored breathing from behind her. Aurora looked over her bare shoulder. Maleficent was standing with her back to her. "What, _today_? Isn't this rather sudden?"

Aurora bit her lip, recognizing the tone. Maleficent sounded worried.

"I see", the brunette replied, then turned around to face the blonde. "No, no, I can be there by 3.30." She closed her eyes, clenching her teeth together. "Right, thank you. Goodbye."

Aurora hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath. Pulling the shirt back onto her shoulders, she jumped off the counter and walked around it, stopping next to Maleficent, who was still holding the phone in her hand, staring straight in front of her.

"Seems like _Golden Boy_ told on us", Maleficent murmured, putting the phone down and turning to face Aurora.

_What? No, he wouldn't_. Ice cold panic flooded through Aurora in less than a second. She covered her mouth with her hands as she realized what had happened.

"One of the chairmen of the school board has requested a meeting for this afternoon about matters he refused to indulge me with", Maleficent told her, reaching up to caress the blonde's hair. She exhaled slowly. "Christ, this is one hell of a pickle, isn't it."

"I'm so sorry", Aurora whispered, lowering her hands and grabbing Maleficent by her shoulders. _This is all my fault. That fucking computer_. "I am so, so sorry, I can't believe he'd do that! I don't understand, this is not like him. What, are they going to fire you – "

"No, no, no", Maleficent cut in, putting her hands around Aurora's face. She looked surprisingly calm. "You needn't apologize. No one is getting sacked and no one is getting expelled. I'm just fuming, but I'll handle this. Come here." She opened her arms and Aurora leaned into her embrace, arms sliding around the woman's back, holding her tightly. Maleficent kissed her ear and caressed the upper part of Aurora's back with her nails. Just being this close to the girl felt incredibly good.

"You're wonderful", Aurora whispered into her neck, panicking that something would make this the last time she'd be like this with her.

"Don't _you_ ever forget it", Maleficent replied, smirking at her own choice of words.

* * *

**_I really enjoyed writing this so I hope you all enjoy reading it :) And I so need to tone down the pace, I feel like I'm updating way too fast but argh I just can't keep this all in. PM & Review please, it keeps me going! xx - D._ **


	13. Noise

**_A/N: Writing this was freaking hilarious. I laughed so much, but then – boom, it took quite a smutty turn. So if you have a problem with light S&M… Well, then I don't know what you should do. Kidding. Let me know what you think, R&R! xx – D._**

* * *

Maleficent was pacing back and forth in the third floor corridor of the administrative building, heels clicking, checking her phone every thirty seconds. Whenever someone passed her, they gave her a look, as if they knew she'd been up to something _bad_. Groaning, she leaned her head backwards and took a couple of deep breaths. She wasn't nervous, merely frustrated.

She'd accepted Aurora's plea to skip class today and get some sleep instead, as she was exhausted from the night before. A satisfied smile covered her lips as her mind travelled to this morning. _Oh, if I go down for this I'll do so gladly_, she thought, still feeling no hints of regret in her heart. She knew Aurora had been disappointed, and knew now that when she'd get home, she'd have to put on one hell of a show to make it up to the sweet girl.

The sound of footsteps behind her caught her attention, and as she turned around she was met by her scruffy, nonchalant-looking brother-in-law. A chuckle escaped her lips. "Oh for the love of God", she mumbled, shaking her head. "What's next, _the Queen_?"

Diaval raised his arms, his ever so warm smile making her feel slightly more at ease. "I got summoned. How are you feeling?"

"Angry", she replied. "I could kill that little wanker."

"Easy", he cut in, but very much agreeing with her. He took a step closer, brushing her jacket-covered shoulder. "You look gorgeous. Eat them alive."

"I shall", she replied between her teeth, her eyes travelling to the men approaching behind Diaval. "Here comes the jury."

Diaval turned around, and Maleficent was right; walking towards them were three sharp-looking men, dressed in suits and carrying briefcases. Diaval recognized the first of the men to be Chairman Christopher Brigham, the father of deceased Jasmine Chandra's boyfriend John. It didn't surprise him that the person walking next to him was Phillip Danielson. Behind them walked one of the school clerks – the same one Maleficent had asked to bring Aurora to her office that day a couple of weeks back.

"Professor Diaval", Brigham greeted, nodding at Diaval, who smiled in return. "Professor Minardi", he continued and turned his gaze towards the brunette, who simply nodded. "Shall we?"

As he opened the door to the conference room, Maleficent's eyes met Phillip's. The boy's stare was filled of silent loathing, his cheekbones so sharp he had to be clenching his teeth inside his mouth. She walked straight past him into the room, raising her eyebrows in a '_bring it'_-expression.

Diaval and Maleficent sat down next to each other, with the jury of three opposite them. Phillip sat down on the right side of Brigham, thereby having direct eye contact with Maleficent. She smiled at him in return, feeling both furious and saddened; it was clear that they were here out of Phillip's undying love for Aurora. He simply wanted his life back, which she understood quite well. The problem was, the girl he loved so much was now in her care. Still, she felt a knot in her chest as her thoughts shot back to the bruise on the girl's cheek, purple with a shade of yellow the night before. Crossing her hands onto the table, she peeked at Diaval, who simply smiled, telling her it would be fine.

"Gentlemen", Brigham began, opening his briefcase and taking out a pad. "Miss Minardi. We're here today to deal with a rather serious allegation against you. Suspicion raised by Mr. Danielson here, you must understand that we're required to have a hearing whenever something as such comes up."

"Understood", Maleficent replied. "Although, I felt quite _distressed_ for not being informed of the subject." She glared at Diaval's hand on the table. It had been resting there loosely, but now he pressed his palm flat against the table, telling her to hold her tongue.

"Duly noted", Brigham continued. "Mr. Danielson here has reported that you forced one of your students, Aurora Briars, to take part in sexual activities… With, um, you."

"That's absurd", Diaval cut in, raising one of his hands.

"It's all right, Harry", Maleficent smiled, moving her hand over to his arm. "Let Chairman Brigham talk, I'm quite intrigued, actually."

Brigham frowned at her comment, then cleared his throat and continued reading. "Since this has not been confirmed, I chose to leave Miss Briars out of it for now, for her own well-being. As you know, sexual activities between faculty and students are highly frowned upon and unfortunately I will have to ask you some questions." He glared at Phillip, who simply stared at Maleficent, breathing heavily. "Miss Minardi, do you confirm that you are a lesbian?"

A low chuckle escaped her throat as she saw in the corner of her eye that Diaval had pressed his eyes shut in agony. She pressed her arms closer to her body and leaned forward, knowing the movement would compliment her cleavage in the tight top beneath her jacket. "Mr Brigham…" she began with a low tone, letting her lips linger open. "I neither deny nor confirm being anything. That said, if I was to answer that in a positive manner, wouldn't life be so much more_… pleasurable_?" Pronouncing the last syllable, her tongue touched the back of her font teeth, knowing Brigham saw it. His face immediately turned a shade of dark red and his hand shot up to his tie.

Brigham cleared his throat and scrabbled down a few lines with his pen. "Let's continue. I have here an e-mail Mr. Daniels claims you sent to Miss Briars. _I am not offended nor am I upset about recent events. Although, surprise is a feeling one must embrace and I must say, disappointment walks hand in hand with the previous one. But you have ripped a hole in me and I am still uncertain how to sew it up_." He paused and took a deep breath, clearly disturbed with the text. "_Do not mistake my silence for ignorance. Simply understand, that the situation is peculiar and neither of the alternatives at hand come without judgment. That said, if you manage to find a reasonable explanation for what I witnessed, meeting what you desire is the option I am inclined to. If that is still your wish, Aurora._"

Maleficent leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, still keeping a cold and calm façade. Her eyes were on Brigham's red face, but she could feel Phillip's eyes burning into her throat, clearly wanting to rip it apart.

"What do you have to say about this?" Brigham asked, clearly uncomfortable with, what Maleficent could only imagine, were visions of her and Aurora.

"Beautiful poetry", she replied indifferently.

"It's hardly _James Joyce_", Phillip spat out, clenching his fists.

Maleficent raised a brow. "Neither is it me _eating out_ your _former_ girlfriend, Mr. Danielson."

Diaval's eyes shut even tighter as both they both heard a sharp intake of breath from both Brigham and the clerk. Phillip's face stayed ice cold, knuckles white on the table.

"Let's everybody calm down, shall we", Brigham stated slowly, eyes alternating between Phillip and Maleficent. "Can you explain this e-mail, Miss Minardi?"

"Of course", she hissed, looking Brigham straight in the eyes. "Note that neither does it say it was _I _who sent that. Either way, I have no trouble saying it indeed _was._ The following matter has been settled between me and Miss Briars, and I do hope you honour that. She's already been… punished, for her misdemeanor."

Brigham nodded, then made a gesture with his hand, as if telling her to go on.

"Miss Briars and her friend, Miss Loveridge, made a simple mistake of intruding where they should not have. Professor Diaval and the Sheriff had come down to my office in order to go through the investigation of these recent murders. I discovered Miss Briars and Miss Loveridge eavesdropping on our meeting. Now, I would expect such a thing of Miss Loveridge, but Miss Briars…" She took a break to search for the right words, careful not to sound too kind. "Well, I had expected more. I was truly disappointed. She's very proper, as I'm sure you know. I sent clerk Barnes here to fetch her for me, do you remember?"

The clerk nodded and turned his head towards Brigham. "She did do that. She was rather upset when she summoned Miss Briars."

Brigham nodded and looked back at Maleficent, clearly anxious to hear the rest of the story.

"As the e-mail says, I was inclined to grant her wish of letting the whole thing go on a condition of her choosing; she'd take on the task to tutor one of my students", Maleficent continued. "She thought it would make up for her improper behavior. She didn't want to get kicked out of class, of course. I said I needed time to think, not sure I could trust her with such a task. That is what the part about the _hole _and the _sewing_ is about. You see, it's a lyric. Something I had her translate. I knew mentioning it would make her understand my utter dissatisfaction with her." Maleficent took a pause, eyeing the Chairman. He seemed content and at ease with the information as he wrote it down.

"Now, do we agree that this is indeed settled?" Maleficent asked him with a strict tone. "What goes on in my classroom stays there. I've dealt with the situation; there is no need to make matters worse. Miss Briars acted out of curiosity, for which she is now paying the price. And that price is not me bedding her whenever I feel like it."

Brigham exhaled slowly, cheeks burning. "That sounds fair."

"This is bullshit!" Phillip snapped, smacking his hands onto the table. "She says what you want to hear, she's a fucking predator –"

"Mr. Danielson", Brigham cut in, raising one of his hands to silence the boy. "You have nothing else than this e-mail to go on. This e-mail, for which we have received a reasonable explanation. Now, Professor Diaval, do you have any knowledge of a non-consensual sexual relationship between Miss Briars and our Professor here?" Brigham turned his gaze towards Diaval.

"Well, no, of course not", he replied, straightening his back and glaring at his sister-in-law, who met his gaze. "And just for the record I'd like to point out, that neither _I_ am nor am being forced into having sexual relations with Professor Minardi."

Maleficent bit back the hilarious laugh that was about to escape from her mouth. Once again, Brigham's face became bright red and she could see the clerk chuckling behind his memo. The Chairman cleared his throat, yet again, and started packing up his things.

"Well, I see no reason to pursue this", Brigham said, clearly annoyed that the meeting had been called in the first place. "Since Professor Minardi here denies it, there's no evidence, and all we have is your word, Mr. Danielson. Now –"

"She's lying!" Phillip growled, rising up from his chair, eyes shooting daggers at Maleficent. "You corrupted her mind, she's twenty-one years old for fuck's sake! You will –"

"On an entirely different note", Maleficent cut in, voice raised and face now hard as ice, "Miss Briars called me about her ex-boyfriend throwing a fit about that e-mail. From what she told me, seems like Mr. Danielson here struck the poor girl after reading it." She bit her teeth together and added: "_In the face_. I gave her the day off. She said it was hurting terribly."

Both Brigham and the clerk slowly turned to look at Phillip, who was still standing, hands on the table. His confident and raged face had quickly become full of shame and resentment – for both himself and Maleficent. He faced neither of the men, simply stared at his blurry reflection on the surface of the glass table.

"Oh dear", Maleficent whispered, this time her eyes burning into Phillip. "What an awkward situation." With that, he met her gaze. "You're lucky Miss Briars isn't pressing charges, Mr. Danielson. Break-ups are hard, but they are also private. I understand you're hurting, but there is no need to place blame. Other than that, I think this is settled." She slowly rose up from her chair and Diaval followed, both of them nodding at the clerk and the Chairman – neither of which made any objections.

Maleficent took a deep breath as she walked out into the corridor, pressing her hand against her forehead. She had hoped she wouldn't be forced to go _that_ far, and even though the boy's feelings were completely justified, she'd expected him to hold his temper, especially since his wish about the hearing had been granted.

"You did well", Diaval whispered in her ear, his hand on her lower back. "He's angry, let him be. Now that this has been dealt with, you're in the safe zone."

"She wishes she was", came Phillip's voice from behind them.

Maleficent bit her lip and coolly turned around to face him, arms across her chest once more. She'd always considered herself a rational and serene person, but this boy was really pushing the right buttons. "Is there something you'd like to say, Mr. Danielson? I do think you've caused enough harm."

Phillip shot forward to shove her backwards, but Diaval managed to get between them. He slid his arms around Phillip's chest and stomach, keeping him at a safe distance from Maleficent, who simply gave him a cold stare.

"I know what you're doing", he spat, wriggling to get free. "I know exactly what you're doing. You think you've won this, but Aurora is _mine_. You stay the hell away from her, do you hear me? If you ever put your hands on her again –"

"Let me make myself _quite_ clear", Maleficent cut in, jaw tightly clenched. As Diaval was holding Phillip in place, she took a couple of steps towards him so that their faces were mere inches away from each other. She cringed at the smell of his aftershave and resisted the urge to slap him for what he'd done to the girl. "If you ever lay a hand on her – or me, for that matter, I will make you watch something you will _never_ forget."

With that, she backed away and turned her heel, leaving Phillip wrestling in Diaval's hold, screaming raged insults and threats after her. Inside her mind, she knew she hadn't heard the end of it.

* * *

As she walked in through the door of her apartment that evening, the first thing catching her attention was the dim lightning. Only the lamps in her kitchen were on and the rest of her apartment lay in the dark. She bent down to take off her boots and hung her jacket by the door. She could still smell the burnt pancakes from earlier.

"Aurora?" she called softly, removing her jacket as she walked into the living room.

The blonde lay on her couch, hair sprawled out everywhere. Maleficent stopped a few feet away from her, taking in the sight. The girl was sleeping, still wearing her dress shirt from this morning. She looked like she was in a soft slumber and her mouth was slightly open, chest rising and falling steadily. One of Maleficent's blankets was partially on her, but as the girl stirred and moved to her side, Maleficent realized she hadn't bothered to put on any underwear.

_Hmm_, she thought, suddenly feeling rather playful. As she looked closer at the now exposed apex of Aurora's thighs, she realized it was glistening. _Oh, I'll have her begging_, Maleficent thought as she realized what the girl must have been up to only moments before she got home from work. The thought made her breath hitch as she felt a well-known tightness in her lower stomach.

Carefully, she slid the blanket off of Aurora, and bent down over the girl. When her face was only inches from the blonde's ear, she stirred, heavy eyelids opening slowly. As her eyes were met by Maleficent's emerald ones, now sparkling with want, she quickly woke up and went to cover herself.

"Good evening, Sleeping Beauty", Maleficent smirked, brushing a few strands of blonde hair out of her face. Aurora looked lovely with traces of sleep in her eyes. "What have you been up to?"

Aurora's cheeks immediately became flushed and she propped herself up on her elbows, biting her lower lip. The brunette's tone was way too husky to be of general wonderment. _Oh crap_, she thought, knowing she was in trouble. "Um, how did it go?"

"It went fine", she murmured, eyes burning into Aurora's. "Don't change the subject. What have you been doing?"

_Her hand desperately searched between her legs, needing something to relieve her of the unbearable frustration_. Aurora's cheeks became even redder as she quickly looked down at her exposed form, then back up at the brunette. "What do you mean?"

Maleficent sighed and before Aurora realized what had happened, Maleficent had traced her slippery folds with her index finger before bringing it up to her face. "I mean _this_", she whispered, letting her finger linger on her tongue. "Tut, tut."

Aurora became even more chocked by the brunette's behavior and tone of voice. She quickly searched her mind for any words. It didn't help that the only parts of her that weren't exposed were her arms and her back. She felt more _naked_ than ever. When she couldn't find anything to say, Maleficent bent even further down, running her nose through the girl's messy hair.

"Naughty little Beastie", she purred as she breathed in the girl's scent. "I ought to punish you for this."

Aurora inhaled sharply, knowing she wasn't ready for what was about to come. Maleficent surrendering to her was one thing; having the older woman in control was another. "Please, don't", she begged, bringing her hands up to her teacher's hazel mane.

"I like you begging", Maleficent continued, suddenly pulling away and standing up straight, next to the couch. Aurora reached for the blanket once again, frantic to cover herself, but Maleficent grabbed it first and threw it across the floor.

Breathing heavily, Aurora tried to calm herself. The actions from earlier this morning had proved that Maleficent was everything but mellow; she was decisive, sharp, and always got what she wanted. Of course the girl had dreamed about her teacher ravishing her countless times before, but now that it was before her, traces of fright travelled from her chest to her lower body.

Maleficent pulled the black leather belt from her skirt and caressed it with her fingers, reading the blonde's facial expression as her eyes widened at the sight of the loose belt in her teacher's hands. The girl swallowed, eyes both intrigued and terrified. Not being a person who needed permission to do anything, Maleficent bent down and slid the belt around one of the legs of the couch, then brought it up over Aurora's head.

The girl made a quick move to get up, but Maleficent pushed her down and captured her hands together, bringing them over the girl's head. She wrapped what was rest of the belt around Aurora's wrists, then locked the buckle, trapping the blonde where she lay.

Smirking at the delicious sight before her, Maleficent tried to restrain herself from clawing the girl to pieces. Aurora's bare chest showed her elevated breathing, and she tried to wriggle herself free of the restrains. Maleficent knew that this was a question of inexperience, not fright; and she also knew that Aurora trusted her.

Smiling devilishly, she pulled her top over her head, revealing her black, lace bra and taut stomach. Aurora's eyes wandered to her body, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. _Slowly now_, Maleficent thought to herself as she went to unzip her skirt, letting it fall to the floor.

Having gotten rid of the disturbance of too many clothes on, Maleficent bent down onto her knees in front of the couch and grabbed Aurora by the hips, yanking her forward. The belt dug into the girl's wrists, making her whimper slightly. She went to separate the girl's legs, but she was once again keeping her knees tight against each other. Groaning in annoyance, she got up and half-climbed on top of Aurora, wrapping a couple of golden strands around her head before tugging rather roughly.

Aurora yelped and clenched her teeth_. It stung_. She felt Maleficent's other hand travel back down to her knees. The brunette's half-covered chest was right by her face, and she resisted the urge to lean forward and kiss her there, knowing it would make the brunette yank her hair even harder.

"Do not play coy with me, Princess", Maleficent hissed between her teeth, kissing Aurora's cheek teasingly. "You have something that I want. Therefore, it's _mine_."

Aurora gasped at the sound of desire in the older woman's voice, the tone sending jolts of pleasure to her center. Not wanting to show her submission, she withheld herself from wriggling beneath the brunette. She was much too close. Aurora wanted to flip them around, make herself in control instead.

Yanking the strands a bit harder this time, she hissed into the girl's ear: "Next time, it will hurt. Spread them."

This time, Aurora agreed. As soon as she let her knees move away from each other, Maleficent moved her body between them, making sure Aurora wouldn't be able to get away a second time. She freed the girl's hair and placed a gentle kiss on her lips as a thank you, soothing her. Aurora whined beneath her lips, wrists still pulling at the belt.

Ever so slowly, Maleficent let herself slide back onto the floor, her chest and shoulders separating Aurora's legs. The girl's eyes searched hers as she let her eyes linger on Aurora's glistening core. She knew her dominance was turning her on. That had to be one of the things that made Aurora want her; dominance, in the classroom as well as between the sheets. Locking eyes with the girl, an evil smile spread across her lips, telling Aurora she was finally in for the ride she'd so desperately craved. And to Aurora's surprise, it did turn her on.

The truth was, Aurora laying like this, bound and conquered, made her look even more innocent than usual. And it was beyond everything else Aurora's innocence that Maleficent coveted and _needed_ to take. The girl's actions and words had sometimes made her seem like the wickedest of girls, but her anxious expression and pleading eyes made her look _pure_. And for reasons Maleficent had often wondered about – yet never found an explanation for – she needed to take what was pure and turn it into hers.

Letting out a deep breath, Maleficent lowered her eyes back to Aurora's center of pleasure. She grazed the insides of her thighs with her fingertips, making the girl squirm. Gently, she bent her upper body forward, ignoring the fact that the cold floor was making her knees ache. When her lips were only inches away from the apex of the girl's thighs, she looked up one last time. Aurora's glittering eyes were on hers, sapphire with a shade of cerulean in the dim light. Lips parted she was already panting in anticipation; her expression indicated that Maleficent was free to do as she pleased.

Without hesitation, she did. Closing her eyes and lowering her mouth onto the girl, she gently nuzzled her nose against the girl's moist folds. Her scent was fiery yet sweet and Maleficent allowed herself to taste the girl – something she'd yearned for since summer. As her tongue drew circles around the tiny pearl withholding Aurora's pleasure, the girl moaned softly and bucked her hips, not knowing whether to push them forward or pull them backwards.

It was foreign and new. Maleficent's pillowy lips and soft cheeks between her legs felt incredibly soft yet excruciating, for Aurora wanted more. The brunette's mouth, gently licking and softly sucking on her folds, threw Aurora into a place where white noise appeared behind her closed eyelids, but it didn't get her close to where she needed to be. Bucking her hips upwards, the woman slid her tongue lower and licked right by Aurora's slippery entrance.

_Yes_, she thought to herself, finally stopping the consistent battle against the belt around her wrists. The woman knew what she was doing; Aurora didn't doubt it for a second. Her hands had travelled to Aurora's hips, holding her still, forcing Aurora to feel everything she did to her.

Maleficent felt her mind move into a frenzy; as she was lapping at Aurora's wetness she literally felt like she was sucking all the innocence out of the girl. It spurred her on, digging her nails into the girl's hips and pulling her closer to her mouth, unaware that the belt was now making Aurora's wrists burn.

"More", Aurora gasped, wriggling her hips. "Please, I want more of you."

Maleficent opened her eyes, kissing the girl's moist slit. Her lips curved into a smile as she saw what her ministrations where doing to her; Aurora's head was thrown back and her arms outstretched from the restraints. Her back was arched, pushing her breasts into the air. Hit with the need to _hear_ more, Maleficent took one of her hands from Aurora's hips and slipped it beneath her mouth, probing at her entrance. The sudden movement made Aurora open her eyes and lustfully look down at her, meeting her gaze. And there it was; watching her desire pleasure her between her legs made her walls clench desperately.

"Inside", she moaned, and Maleficent complied. Not wanting to waste a second, she slid her middle- and ring finger into the girl's wetness, making her scream out in distress. Aurora's noises were finally closing in on the level Maleficent demanded. Softly moving her fingers in and out, her lips still sucking around the girl's pink nub, she moved her other hand upwards, over Aurora's stomach and between her breasts until she reached the girl's throat.

Knowing what she needed, Aurora lowered her chin and licked Maleficent's fingers with her tongue. The act made Maleficent look up for a second, but as Aurora seemed even more eager now, she closed her eyes and continued with the task at hand. Her fingers sliding in ever so easily and fast, Aurora felt tighter and she began alternating between licking and sucking to get her over the edge.

Desperately suckling on the older woman's fingers, Aurora felt so full. The heat between her legs had built up to a point where she yearned for release. She opened her eyes to watch the woman; in her mind she'd always imagined fireworks and small sighs of pleasure, but as she watched the brown sea of hair and the beautiful, thick eyelashes, she barely caught her breath before the heat exploded and sent white jolts throughout her body. Biting down on the woman's fingers, she screamed into the room, writhing on the couch. Waves slowly decreasing, she moaned and pushed her knees together, telling the brunette she couldn't take anymore.

Maleficent licked her lips and carefully pulled her fingers out of the girl's tight passage. She kissed her way up Aurora's body, laying on top of her and unlocking the belt holding her in place. As soon as the buckle clicked, the panting girl's hands came around the brunette's body, pressing her close.

Aurora felt tears in her eyes as her moans quieted and she could her Maleficent's steady breathing against her forehead. Relishing in the warmth and the utter satisfaction of having her so near, Aurora stroked her brown tresses and kissed her collarbones. So caught up in the moment, her mind never even wandered to the possibility – and reality - that both of them were being closely watched from the building across the street.

"Maleficent?" Aurora whispered, nudging her face against the woman's.

"Mm?" came the reply between soft kisses on Aurora's hair.

"Can I stay with you for a while?" Aurora asked, biting her lip.

Maleficent leaned her body a bit upwards so that she could look the blonde in the eyes. Expecting to see a passive, firm expression, Aurora was surprised to find the woman's features soft and caring. In her eyes there was a warmth as she caressed the girl's face.

"If that is what you wish", she replied kindly.


	14. Choices

_**A/N: Okay, so I frick-fracking caved. This fic is literally taking over my life, and I have a thesis I need to be working on. I'm in a place right now where the correct reply to any sentence is violently whispered "Christ." Special thanks to Coco for being a doll and correcting the first part of this chapter, I am solely responsible for any mistakes after that. 4.15 AM, I'm out, enjoy this unusual, drama-free, mellow chapter ;) xx - D.**_

* * *

In the bedroom, Aurora's fingers gently traced patterns on Maleficent's bare back as the sun started peeking in through half-drawn blinds. The older woman was sleeping on her side; soft, steady breaths escaping her nose and mouth. Aurora alternated between the mahogany strands of Maleficent's hair and her smooth skin, careful not to wake her.

The evening before had exceeded all of Aurora's expectations. Yes, she'd known her teacher wouldn't exactly be a piece of cake, but the utter need for authority and supremacy had surprised her. That said, she didn't mind surrendering to the woman; after all, it was what she'd wanted all this time.

Knowing there was no point in trying to fall asleep – it was already after seven in the morning and Maleficent's alarm was set for 7.25 – she stretched out on the bed and forced herself up. Putting on that same dress shirt and her not-so-clean-panties, she glared at the brunette's sleeping form before softly closing the bedroom door behind her.

Sleeping in Maleficent's apartment felt surreal. Everything around her felt like a dream, as if she was waiting for the pinch that would wake her up. She smiled, knowing this wasn't a delusion; she'd received what she'd wished for. Even _better_; she could now stay with the woman, away from everything else.

Aurora's phone on the living room table lit up. Brushing her golden locks out of her face, she paddled to the couch and picked up her phone, and terrible guilt washed over her once more.

She had three missed calls from Phillip, plus two text messages; one from last night, then the one she'd just received. She read them on her screen without sweeping it open.

_11.53 PM. Can you please pick up the phone? We really need to talk. I know where you are, but this is bullshit. You can't just disappear out of my life without an explanation. I know what I did was wrong and I'm so, so sorry. And I'm sorry for telling on you, but you don't know what you're doing. She'll hurt you, believe me. Please, just talk to me so we can work this out. _

Aurora sighed and covered her mouth with her free hand. Suddenly, she felt horrible.

_7.03 AM. I know where you've slept. I'm not gonna let this go until you talk to me, Aurora. You can't just do this. You're not this horrible a person, but if you are, I have no idea who I've been in love with for these last three years. Just freaking tell me what is going on. You gotta trust me, get away from her, now. _

Frustrated and angry, at both Phillip and herself, she slid the screen to the right and opened up the imessage-window. Staring at Phillip's messages for a while, she admitted that he was right; she wasn't like this. Searching her mind for words, she quickly scribbled: _Hi. I'm sorry I've been avoiding you. I'm just going through something right now. I know you're angry, I don't blame you. We can talk at school, lunchtime. But if you wanna talk you gotta be ready to hear what I have to say. I'm sorry for the terrible pain I've caused you._

She pressed send and slid down onto the couch, staring at the screen. She waited for bubbles to appear into the down left corner of the screen, telling her Phillip was responding, but nothing happened. Sighing, she opened up her contacts-window and pressed Esme. The tone rang a couple of times until she heard the scruffy, sleepy voice of her friend.

"_Well it's about fucking time. Where the hell have you been, girl?" _

Aurora smiled at her friend's lazy voice. "Hey, you. I've had to deal with some stuff, sorry I haven't been around. Something happened with Phillip –"

"_Oh I know."_ Esme's voice sounded low. _"He came around here. I was sure I'd hit him. Told me he'd simply lost his temper. You okay?"_

"Sure", she replied, bringing her fingers up to the bruise on her cheek. "It doesn't really hurt anymore. I know he didn't mean it. What else did he say?"

"_Well, he came around yesterday. He was totally pissed off, so I called John, who told me Phillip had asked for a meeting with his Dad and Minardi and Diaval. Like, he'd been set on bringing Minardi down for this, you, well, screwing you. But since there's no evidence, since _you_ haven't said anything, and I haven't said anything because obviously I don't know anything, John's Dad had to let it go. As you can guess, Phillip's on the warpath." _

"I don't understand how he thinks this is going to make me come back to him", Aurora mumbled and stared at the TV opposite her. "He's digging his own hole. I've never seen him like this."

"_Well, he loves you. And you've always been there; I think he didn't expect you to suddenly disappear. And neither did I!" _There was a long pause, as if Esme was clearing her throat._ "So… are you, like, gay now, or…?" _

"Oh Jesus", Aurora chuckled. Esme's bluntness always managed to amaze her. "I don't know what I am, this isn't about that. She just… You know."

"_Mm. Well, you've got to talk to Phillip. I love you, but he's really messed up right now. He's a good guy, most of the time, you and I both know that." _

Aurora felt a knot in her chest. "I know. I will, as soon as I get my shit together. This is really confusing, this is all so new."

"_Well, how was she?" _

Aurora laughed at her friend's teasing tone, then bit her lip, choosing words. "Um, she's… Like _poetry_. Like something beautiful you can't get enough of. It's like, she could do anything and I'd still love her."

"_What?" _

Aurora's face immediately went from happy to serious. _What_ had she just said?

"_Aurora, what did you just say? Have you said that to her?!" _

"Well…", she began, thinking. "At _Plush_. But I was a bit drunk, so, it doesn't count. Plus I think she'd freak if I did, you've seen her... It's like, 'I don't do this' and 'I don't do that'. Saying I love her would probably send her running as far away as possible. I'm happy right now and I don't want to ruin it."

The line was quiet for a bit. _"Do you think she loves you?"_

And there it was. The ultimate question Aurora hadn't even dared think about. She glared at the closed bedroom door, suddenly jolted with fear. "I don't know", she replied, honestly. "She doesn't really say much. We don't really talk much."

"_Oh good God, spare me."_ Esme was chuckling on the other end of the line.

"I will", Aurora replied, momentarily glaring at the couch and recalling last night's events. "I'd like to, though. Talk to her more, I mean. Right now if she'd back out I know I'd be…" The knot in her chest tightened. "… Heartbroken."

As Aurora continued the discussion, she didn't realize the bedroom door had opened slightly. Behind it, Maleficent stood still, dressed in her gray robe. Walking out and revealing she'd heard half of their phone call would lead to a discussion she did not have the energy for. Bringing her hand up to her neck, she exhaled slowly, gritting her teeth. '_She could do anything and I'd still love her'_. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the wall, trying to suppress the panic forming in her chest. '_Shit'_, she thought, covering her face in her hands.

* * *

Aurora had used her fork to build a tower of rice on her plate, hunger being the last thing on her mind. In the loud noise and chaos of the cafeteria, she luckily managed to block out all the sounds and simply fall through the different dimensions of her thoughts.

The car-ride to the college had not been what she'd expected when she'd woken up this morning. After her phone call with Esme, Maleficent had appeared minutes later. She'd given her a quick kiss on the cheek and walked straight into the shower without saying a word. Aurora had made her breakfast, but she'd kindly passed and gone back into the bathroom to get ready. Aurora had eaten alone, in silence, anxiety forming in her chest at the sight of her lover being completely different than the night before.

In the car she'd tried to make conversation, but it was no use. She'd asked what Maleficent's favorite colour was, but the woman had only glared at her in response with half a smile on her lips. She'd asked where in London she'd grown up, for which she'd received another silent glare. When asking what the tattooed _J_ and the roman numbers on her forearm meant, the woman had switched the radio on. She'd finally spoken when Aurora had asked about her plans for the day and what time she'd be back at the apartment, to which she'd replied that she had some case files to go through with Diaval, and that she'd probably be home late. She'd dropped Aurora off two blocks from campus, to eliminate them being seen together. As the girl had jumped out, she'd wished her _'good day'_, and then driven off.

Aurora felt terrified, too scared to bring up the question of what was going on. The thought of the one thing she wanted - needed - disappearing would simply be too much for her right now. Nervous beyond measure, her mind wandered to places it shouldn't have: Maybe Maleficent had come to her senses, or maybe something _had_ happened yesterday during the meeting; something that could make her realize how difficult the situation was. Maybe she simply didn't want to have an emotional connection with anyone. Either way, all of the alternatives above made tears form in Aurora's eyes, wishing to God that she was wrong about her.

The chair opposite her being pulled out caught her attention. Looking up, she saw the familiar face of her former love. Phillip wore an indifferent expression as he pushed some of his hair out of his face, sitting down opposite Aurora.

"Hello, Phillip", she said, forcing herself to push her doubts away for a moment.

"Hey", he replied, crossing his arms. He hadn't brought a tray. "Nice of you to show up."

"Phillip…", she began, exhaling slowly with closed eyes. "This isn't easy for me."

"Yeah?" he asked, eyebrows raised. His tone immediately became harsher. "Do you have any idea what this has been like for me, Aurora? You just take off, leave home, nothing."

She shook her head. "No, I don't, and I'm sorry about that. But now that we're here, I've got something to say to you, too." Deep breaths in and out, she straightened her back to appear stricter. "What the hell were you thinking, accusing Mal- _Professor Minardi _of forcing me into having sex with her?"

He shrugged his shoulders, clearly lacking a proper explanation. "I needed to get her away from you. She's a distraction, Aurora. She's the reason you're like this, now. Jesus, what has she done to you?"

"Nothing", she replied, biting her teeth together. "You need to understand that she needs to be left out of this. She isn't forcing me to do anything, hell, I don't even know if she considers this any of her business. Me walking away from you – from us – was and remains my decision. I'm not going to disappear from your life, Phillip, and you aren't going to get me back by making my life even more horrible. She's very important to me, and you trying to get her fired for an e-mail is just beyond what I thought you were capable of."

He sat in silence, eyes glaring at people passing them. Aurora relaxed a bit, knowing she was giving him quite a rant. Looking at the rice-tower on her plate, he let his eyes travel up to meet hers. "Do you love me anymore?"

She sighed, trying to look compassionate. But when she heard the word love, she saw emerald eyes and red lips flashing in front of her eyes. "I care for you so much, Phillip. I shared everything with you, and that will never go away. I… I want to be your friend, but that's all I can be, right now." She looked down at her hands in her lap. "It is no secret that _I_ have feelings for this woman, but that's all. There's _nothing_ else." She silently begged he wouldn't realize she was lying. "But that isn't her fault, she didn't make it happen. And when I feel like this, I can't be close to you like we were before. Please, understand me."

He stared at her, brown eyes filled with both anger and consideration. Putting his hands onto the table and leaning a bit forward, he reached for her hand. She took it after a moment's hesitation. "I'm sorry. I just, I wish you'd understand how dangerous she is. I don't want you near her because I love you."

Aurora frowned, momentarily considering pulling her hand away. "She's not dangerous, Phillip. You just feel that way because you blame her."

"No, I'm serious", he cut in, squeezing her hand a bit tighter. "She will hurt you."

"Phillip…", she began, desperately wanting to calm him. "You need to trust me. I know her; at least I think I do. I see her in class. She's harsh, that's a given. But she's not the kind of person who walks around killing people."

Phillip clenched his teeth, eyes burning into Aurora's. He needed to object, but whatever he'd say, Aurora wasn't going to believe them. And with Phillip's silence, Aurora concluded that they had finally reached some kind of peace that would make it possible for them to co-exist together without blame and resentment.

* * *

Slowly swallowing the sandwich she'd bought in the cafeteria, Maleficent sat next to Diaval on a wooden bench, next to the Occom pond, just short of campus. The water looked absolutely crystal clear, reflecting the blue sky, and the soft wind made Maleficent's love for autumn wake once more. Rolling the food in her gloved hand, she looked up at the sky. A flock of great blue herons flew over their heads in the sunlight.

"Daydreaming of Miss Briars, are you?" Diaval teased with his mouth full of ham.

"No", she replied sharply, following the flock of birds with her eyes. "What did the forensic department say about the hairs found on Chandra's body?"

"No match", he replied, shaking his head. "Confirms that our killer here is a newbie - or then he's never been arrested before. Nothing in the database. Either way, the only way to use the hairs is arresting someone. And we're not even close. It's a dead end."

She continued staring at the sky, the familiar need of finding herself far away from everything burning in the back of her throat.

"I did follow up on that Roberts-girl, though", he continued, wiping some mayonnaise from his mouth with the back of his hand. That caught her attention. "I made some calls and I found out that she'd hired a lawyer just before her death. Something concerning a will, or so I think, based on the cases that same lawyer has handled before. I called him to get more information, but as you probably guessed, it was no use. Privilege doesn't outlive the client, but since she hasn't been found, he's a stubborn one." Swallowing the rest of his food, he waited for a response from his sister-in-law, but she remained silent.

After several minutes of quiet, Diaval finally sighed loudly. "Mal, what is going on?"

At the sound of his voice, she frowned and let her breath out slowly. Knowing him all too well, she knew he was persistent and was not going to let this go. Biting her lower lip, she turned to him. "I heard Aurora on the phone, probably talking to that walking disaster who adores you. I heard her say that she's in love with me."

He shrugged his shoulders, eyebrows raised. "So, what else is new?"

She wrinkled her forehead even more. "Are you having a laugh?"

"Christ", he blurted out, genuinely laughing. "Did you fall down and smack your little head on the pavement?"

Maleficent clenched her jaw and gave him a very unkind glare. "_What_?"

"The girl worships you", he insisted, raising one of his hands into the air to express his opinion even further. "The way she stared at you at _Joe's_, hello? She was struck. Did you really think she'd go through all the trouble of giving up her position as golden queen of the golden couple just to have a roll with you in the sack?"

She grimaced at his choice of words, not having had such a hostile reaction to him in a while. Forward as he was, he was also right; _what _had she been thinking?

"I don't know if I can handle this", Maleficent continued, hoping he'd give her a break. What she'd just said out loud was truly hard for her, for several reasons. She lowered her gaze to her half-eaten sandwich, wrapping it back into its plastic. "She's amazing. She's so kind… but she told her friend that no matter what I did, she'd still love me."

Diaval brought his palm up to his chest and pouted, signaling how sweetly he thought of Aurora's words. His utterly playful gesture earned him a kick in the shin. "That hurt", he hissed, kicking her back. "Look, I know you're a big pile of shite because of Georgina –"

"Don't", she cut in, closing her eyes.

"She's not going to _die_ on you", Diaval continued, putting a hand on her knee.

"Harry, you don't know that", she mumbled. "Girls are getting killed all over campus and one is still missing."

"Well, with over 3000 girls at this college, it would be one hell of a coincidence, wouldn't it?"

Glaring at him, he had a point. Maleficent began massaging her temples slowly. "Well, I _don't_ do love."

"What a pile of bollocks", he muttered, giving her one of his most intense stares. "That is such a pathetic thing to say. I've seen you. I saw you before, and I've seen you look at Aurora. Just speak to the girl. Like she said, she'll love you no matter what. Give her a tiny part of yourself, step by step. She knows you; she knows you're probably the most complex and complicated woman on earth. She won't want everything at once. You set the pace. Now get over yourself."

Finally smiling at him, realizing there was some wisdom in his words, she felt a bit more relaxed. Smirking, she softly pushed him with her elbow. "Ever considered being on 'Doctor Phil'? God, imagine the debate."

"Nah, I'm not a fan of talk shows", he replied casually, grabbing her arm. Chuckling, she got up and took one last look at the sky as they began their walk back to campus.

* * *

Later that evening, Aurora lay on the couch, scrolling through the local newspaper's website, not really reading. She'd been staring at the clock for an hour and a half when the door clicked, informing her that Maleficent was finally home. Her stomach flipped immediately, as if she hadn't already been nervous for hours. She'd even felt anxious using the spare key that the woman had given her. Not having a direct line of sight to the door, she heard Maleficent place down her bag, then hang up her coat.

Her breathing uneven, Aurora pressed the middle button of her phone, closing the website. She kept it in her hands as Maleficent appeared around the corner. She was still wearing her heels. Seeing Aurora on the couch, she brushed a few strands out of her face and gave the girl a tiny smile. The girl returned it, mirroring her expression.

Sighing, Maleficent approached the couch, heels clicking on the hardwood floor. She flipped her wrist in a scooch over-gesture. Aurora complied at once, pulling her knees up to her chest underneath the warm blanket. As Maleficent sat down she crossed her legs and eyed the girl up and down. Aurora simply breathed in silent terror, wishing the woman she adored so much would not say the words she dreaded the most. If she was to ask her to leave, she was sure she'd hear every bone in her body break along with her heart.

"Here's the thing", Maleficent began, emerald eyes a shade darker than usual. "My favorite food is a plain Caesar salad with no anchovies, but since I'm terrible in the kitchen I always manage to burn the chicken." Watching Aurora's expression, which had gone from terrified to surprised, she forced herself to continue. "I was brought up in Kensington, but when my parents divorced I lived with my father in Birmingham for a while, before returning to London at nineteen. The _J_ on my arm stands for _Julianne_, my sister." She took a deep breath. "She died about a year ago. The roman numbers stand for the date she came into my life and the date I was forced to let her go." Inhaling sharply, she felt an unusual burn in her eyes.

Aurora's face was suddenly filled with compassion and relief, the terrible knot inside her chest opening at once. She reached forward to put a hand on Maleficent's thigh, stroking it softly. Groaning, Maleficent slowly placed her hand on Aurora's. "I don't like questions and I am rather private. I need you to understand that."

Aurora smiled, so relieved she felt like jumping up and covering the woman in the sweetest of embraces and kisses. Luckily, for her own well-being, she managed to restrain herself.

"It's been quite a while", Maleficent continued, looking at Aurora's hand in hers. Her brother-in-law's words echoing in her ears, she forced herself to go a little bit further, slightly out of her comfort-zone. "But if you give me… a moment, I believe I'll get used to you being here, gladly so." She finally managed to put on a real, gentle smile – a smile that was answered with Aurora slowly sitting up and nudging her face against the brunette's shoulder, the gesture telling Maleficent that she was indeed forgiven for her indifferent behavior that morning. Breathing out, she turned her head so that Aurora's hair was underneath her chin. Feeling the girl smile against her, Maleficent closed her eyes and let the sweet scent of Aurora's shampoo fill her nostrils. It was indeed going to take a while to get used to the blonde's presence – and belongings – but inside, when being truly honest, Maleficent felt fairly comfortable.


	15. Denial

_**A/N: This might just have been the chapter I'm most conflicted about, so far. Most of you will wonder what the hell is going on, but this is important considering upcoming chapters. Thanks & love to everyone who read/followed/favourited/reviewed, do keep that up if you want me to say inspired, my thesis is killing me right now. Also, tomorrow's fridayyyy; y'all have a great weekend. If I get some coursework done, I might just update sat/sun. Kisses! xx - D. PS: Special thanks to Coco, ScientificHooligan, neaori & mesaraine for kicking the ass of my writer's block. **_

* * *

As the last orange leaves of October fell to the ground, autumn was officially over in Hanover. The atmosphere around campus had quickly become the opposite of how it had been in August; students felt more at ease with the mid-terms coming up and the faculty was slowly becoming convinced that the horrifying threat had finally passed.

Maleficent slammed the door shut behind her as she walked into her apartment, face red with utter frustration. "Young lady, you cannot look at me like that when I'm teaching", she groaned even though she had no idea whereabouts in the apartment Aurora currently was.

An evil chuckle caught her attention, coming from the open kitchen. Maleficent unzipped her boots and threw them into the same pile as her bag and coat, then made her way into the kitchen. Her hearing had once again proved itself accurate; Aurora was standing by the kitchen counter, cutting tomatoes and mozzarella. She hadn't turned around to look at the brunette, but Maleficent could tell by the girl's shoulders that she was laughing.

"I'm quite serious", Maleficent groaned, approaching the blonde. "I'm going to have to kick you out if you keep that up, Aurora. Do you honestly expect me to teach with your smirking like that?"

With that, Aurora turned around, biting on a slice of tomato. Her sapphire eyes were sparkling, face positively mischievous. As she swallowed, she licked her lips and took a step closer to the angry-looking brunette. "Well…" she began teasingly, approaching Maleficent, whose eyes were somewhere between furious and aroused. "You better stop dressing like that if you want me to behave." She pointed at Maleficent's stay-ups, half-covered by a white skirt.

Maleficent raised a brow. "I mean it, _Beastie_", she replied, fingers tapping on the counter. "It's a wonder we've made it this far without getting caught."

"Oh, relax", Aurora laughed, biting down on a slice of mozzarella. She let it linger between her lips, sliding her tongue over it. The movement immediately made Maleficent's eyes travel to her mouth. "Half of my belongings are at Esme's. Everyone thinks I'm crashing on her couch." Finally swallowing the cheese, she wiped her hands on her dress and peeked up at the woman, whose role was somewhere between teacher and lover. "Besides, you love it when I'm naughty."

"I do", she replied, clenching her teeth. "But there is a time and a place."

"Agreed", Aurora replied, winking at the brunette. "Any time and place is a good one for…" she walked closer, reaching the older woman, and brought her hand up to her chin, "… me thinking about you naked."

Maleficent's breath hitched at the blunt confession and she straightened her back, pulling her face away from Aurora's hand. "_Tease_. You need to tone it down."

"Spoil-sport", Aurora provoked, again bringing her hand to Maleficent's face. This time she traced her cheek with her fingers. "Don't you ever think about taking me in the lecture hall? With those unlocked doors, those echoing walls and that high ceiling… I'm sure you'd hear me moan so much louder."

The girl's confidence had grown immensely this last month – together with her knowledge of Maleficent's weak spots. Observant as she was, she knew quite well what a struggle it was for Maleficent not to pull the girl's hair and bend her over the desk. Inhaling sharply – and knowing she could do _whatever_ she wanted in her own home – she quickly bent down and grabbed Aurora by the hips. The girl squealed as Maleficent roughly pulled her to the floor in the living room.

"You better hold onto your knickers", she hissed as she lay down on top of Aurora, trapping her on the rug.

"The pasta is going to boil over", Aurora whispered between ragged breaths as Maleficent pulled the top of her dress down, unclasping her bra at the same time.

"You won't talk your way out of this", Maleficent murmured as she unbuttoned her own shirt. Hands flying down to Aurora's legs, she pushed the dress up and hooked her fingers inside the girl's panties, yanking them down her thighs. Aurora gasped at the woman's haste but knew not to resist – it never led anywhere. As soon as her underwear was discarded, Maleficent placed one of her arms just below the blonde's throat, keeping her in place, as her other one shot down between her thighs.

Without any kind of warning, Maleficent pushed inside of her, the girl's hands immediately shooting up to her shoulders, fingers digging into her bare shoulders. The older woman didn't need to feel bad; Aurora had already been ready for her and was now panting beneath her, desperate for air as Maleficent held her in place.

When Maleficent moved her arm to Aurora's hip, the girl seized the moment to get her way. Wrapping one leg around Maleficent's lower body, she flipped them over, straddling the brunette. Maleficent hissed at the sudden lack of control and tried to flip them back, but Aurora moved down onto her fingers and began grinding her hips whilst leaning forward, lips inches away from Maleficent's.

"I was thinking…" Aurora whispered between her whimpers, fiercely grinding up and down on her lover's body. "There's something –"

"Don't talk", Maleficent commanded, lifting herself up into a sitting position. Her teeth bit into the girl's exposed neck as her free hand sneaked around her waist, helping her keep up the pace.

"No, no, this is important", Aurora gasped, squeezing the brunette's upper back, trying to pull the straps of her bra down. "I, um, want you to – _ah!_"

Maleficent had slid the hand from Aurora's waist to between their bodies, circling her clit with her thumb and index-finger, sending the girl into a turmoil of whimpers and gasps. She lowered her head to kiss Aurora's breasts as the girl clung to her shoulders so hard she was sure she'd have red marks for a week.

"I want you to meet –"Aurora tried again, but as Maleficent's tongue slid over one of her nipples, she gave up, succumbing to the heat between her thighs. Only minutes later, white light flashing before her eyes, she held onto her lover's body for dear life while her climax shook through her body.

"You were saying?" Maleficent panted, carefully pulling out of the exhausted blonde in her lap.

"Huh?" she puffed, eyes still closed. "Oh, right. Um, I want you to meet my Dad."

Someone might as well have poured a bucket of cold water over Maleficent. She froze where she sat, staring into Aurora's eyes that had now opened. The girl could only read one emotion in the hazel-green eyes: _horror._ She opened her mouth to quickly say something reassuring, but Maleficent had already begun looking around the room like a frightened animal, searching for a way out.

"It's okay", Aurora pleaded, on purpose pushing herself further into the woman's lap to keep her from running off like she had so many times before. "It's totally fine. He loves me, he'll be happy –"

"Oh, no, no, no", Maleficent cut in, bringing a hand up to her forehead, sure she was already sweating from pure panic. "Aurora, there is no way in hell that I'll –"

A loud knock on the door interrupted their conversation, shutting both of the women up in less than a second. As if reading each other's minds, Aurora got up straight away, pushing her dress down and pulling its top back up, knowing there was no time to put on her underwear. Maleficent crawled after her discarded shirt, buttoning it up as quickly as she could.

With a second knock on the door, Maleficent exhaled in frustration. "Who is it?" she yelled, throwing a glance at Aurora, who looked – considering the circumstances – presentable. She's hide the girl in the bathtub if it was someone from campus knocking on her door.

"It's me", came Diaval's voice from outside.

"Oh Christ!" Maleficent whispered violently, gesturing Aurora to hide her bra and panties under the couch. She quickly ran to the mirror to check her face, then approached the door. With one last look at Aurora, who had sat down on the couch looking rather innocent, she finally turned the doorknob.

She almost fell over from the impact of arms flying around her waist, pushing her back into the hall. Gasping her breath, she looked down at the little girl's messy hair, hands squeezing their bodies tightly together.

"Auntie-Mal", she giggled, pressing her face into Maleficent's stomach. "I missed you."

Eyes meeting Diaval's, Maleficent smiled and stroked the girl's head before bending down to pick her up. Sarah wrapped her arms around her aunt's neck, fingers in her hair. "I missed you too, you little monster", she laughed, looking into the girl's eyes. "What a surprise. Daddy didn't tell me you were coming over."

Diaval had walked in behind Sarah and now shut the door behind them. Maleficent's eyes travelled to the folder he was holding under his arm. "I hope it's all right, I didn't want to leave her at home. And she's been asking about you."

Maleficent smiled warmly, the girl now playing with her hazel strands. Still holding her in her lap, she turned towards Aurora, who looked almost surprised. Maleficent knew it had to be because of the display of affection she was showing, as it wasn't in her character to be sweet.

"Hi", Aurora greeted, quickly getting up when the girl's face turned towards her.

"Sarah", Maleficent began, easing the girl back down onto the floor but still holding one of her hands. "This is Aurora. Aurora, this is Professor Diaval's daughter Sarah." She gently pushed Sarah forward, the girl's expression suspicious. "Go on, go, go, _go._"

Sarah walked a bit forward until she was standing opposite Aurora, who had bent down to the girl's eye-level. Aurora raised her hand, and the girl took it doubtfully, slightly squeezing it.

"How old are you, Sarah?" Aurora tried, smiling widely. "Can you show me?" She couldn't believe that the girl really looked like a combo of Diaval and Maleficent, realizing Maleficent's sister and her must have been very much alike.

Sarah opened her palms and showed seven fingers, smiling vaguely. "How old are you?" she asked curiously.

Aurora giggled and opened both of her palms twice, then raised her index-finger. She watched the little girl's expression, that had gone from curious to surprised.

"You're old", she blurted out, oblivious to Diaval and Maleficent laughing behind her back. "You look like you're fifteen."

Aurora's jaw dropped at the girl's comment, immediately realizing this one was feisty. Her eyes moved to the two other adults standing further back. Maleficent held her hand beneath her nose, over her mouth, grinning widely. She cleared her throat and forced the corners of her mouth down, then approached the duo.

"Aurora, would you take Sarah to my bedroom and play with her? The iPad is in my nightstand-drawer." It was a kind request, but Aurora sensed there was something else behind it; a tone of firmness. Nodding, she grabbed Sarah's hand, walking them towards the bedroom.

"We'll be right here, peanut", Diaval said, then closed the bedroom door behind the two girls. Turning towards Maleficent, he walked over and gave her a quick embrace. "Bad timing?" he frowned.

"Oh, you know", she mumbled in return, one brow raised.

"Mm, well you might want to wash your hands", he mumbled as he walked towards the couch. "I can smell her on your fingers."

Turning into stone, Maleficent felt absolutely mortified. She pressed her eyes shut and bit her lower lip way too hard, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She walked into the kitchen and turned the tap on, turning it too much to the left. The water felt like fire as she let it wash her hands. She finally realized the stove had been on, and the pasta had now completely boiled over. Swearing, she switched the stove off and grabbed a towel to wipe off the water that had poured down onto the floor.

"Dare I sit down?" he teased, grinning at his sister-in-law's red face.

"Yes", she replied between her teeth. "You're very daring, so go dare…"

He laughed at her flushed cheeks and sat down, pulling the folder out from beneath his arm. Tapping on the cushion next to him, he told her to sit down. Grinding her hands together, she walked over to the couch.

"We found Jessica Roberts", he said whilst opening the folder. He didn't look at Maleficent; he knew what her expression would look like. "Well, we found what was _left of her_. You can imagine what a body looks like after four months out in the wild. The animals got the best of her, I'm afraid."

Maleficent leaned her elbows onto her knees, covering her face in her hands. "And so it is, then. She's dead. I honestly thought she might show up somewhere, alive." She took a couple of deep breaths, saddened. "Well, she's in a better place now, then. Where, um, where was her body found?"

"Right here", he answered, pulling out a map from the folder. "Chittenden Reservoir, around fifty miles from here. She was so close, all this time. A hiker stumbled upon her body as he took a turn off the path to photograph some birds. He found her in one of those old abandoned bear-traps, the cement ones, you know? Bloody holes in the ground, aren't they?"

She nodded, then reached out her hand, asking him to give her the crime scene photos. After a moment's hesitation he did, giving her a bunch of polaroid-pictures. The first one was enough for her to want to vomit. Skeletal remains covered the gray floor of the trap. Traces of skin lay everywhere along with remains of liquefied organs. Beneath the body lay large amounts of dried blood, looking a deep shade of brown. The right clavicle and left tibia were completely shattered, most likely by animals ripping through the flesh and crushing the bones. Maleficent swallowed, then passed the pictures back to Diaval.

"Cause of death?" she whispered, suddenly feeling like she really needed to throw up.

"Forensics weren't able to get much", he replied. "She was identified through dental records. The left side of her cranium was shattered, so they have assumed that cause of death was - "

"Fatal blow to the head", she cut in, nodding. "So this is our first. He went through a lot of trouble, though, hiding the body, didn't he? Not like the others. I mean, yes they were also off road but they were all found within a week… Except Jasmine, who clearly served a different purpose. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You bet", he replied, nodding while going through the photos. "This is ground zero, like they say over here. This girl did or knew something that started this chain of events. She's the key to tracking down who's behind all of these. We need to find a connection between her and the other girls, and then we have got to talk to that lawyer. He has to reveal what he knows now that she's no longer missing but dead. We're actually getting somewhere, now."

Maleficent nodded and got up, knowing the only thing to settle her nerves right now - besides Aurora Briars - was a proper drink and a pack of smokes.

* * *

Sarah dramatically yelped and shouted at the iPad as her tiny fingers moved differently colored sweets on the screen. Aurora was sitting behind her, legs resting on either side of the tiny child. Smiling widely as the girl muttered and grimaced at not having enough points, Aurora gently brushed her hair with her hand and gave her a tiny hug. The girl giggled in response.

"It tickles", she laughed, turning around when she ran out of time.

"Is Candy-Crush your favorite game?" Aurora asked, nodding at the screen.

"Yeah", Sarah giggled in return. "I play it a lot. Only two boys in my class have gotten further than me. Daddy's gone a lot, so there isn't really that much to do. My nanny's kind of boring."

Aurora laughed at her comment, feeling utterly warm at heart with the girl almost resting in her lap. "That's quite a thing to say… Seems like you have to wait another eleven minutes until you can play again. Do you want me to braid your hair?"

The girl's mouth flew open and she nodded quickly, turning around again so that her back was to Aurora. Gently, Aurora started separating her dark strands, curious about the girl. Since she knew she only had her father, she doubted anyone had braided her hair in a very long time, explaining the girl's excitement.

"Where does your Daddy go?" she asked, contemplating whether to do a normal braid or a french one.

"He catches bad guys", she replied, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Sometimes he comes here, but I can almost never come with him. He doesn't talk about what he does, other than that he's trying to keep me safe. But I don't know what he tries to keep me safe from. When Mommy died, Daddy said it was an accident. That no one hurt her on purpose."

Aurora stopped braiding, listening intently. She knew what the loss of a parent felt like, but she couldn't imagine what it would have felt like at that age. "I'm sorry about your Mommy, Sarah."

The girl shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay. I will see her again." She took a little pause and nodded her head, gesturing Aurora to continue. "Auntie-Mal always says that there's beauty in death. And that the ones we love are waiting for us. But, she also said that Mommy know's she'll have to wait a long time for me… Auntie-Mal always says '_Look on the bright side of death_'."

Aurora's breath caught in her throat as she listened to the seven-year-old girl talk about _dying_. At her age, Aurora hadn't given it another thought unless they'd talked about religion in school, or a relative had died, and even then, she'd made no effort to understand it because at seven years old, her mother had told her that certain things could only be understood and accepted with age. And here the tiny brunette sat, talking like she knew everything there was to know about moving on from someone's passing. "Maleficent thinks there's a _bright_ side of death?" she asked carefully, not really sure where she wanted their conversation to go. They were talking about the woman who, probably at this very moment, was going through files about a series of brutal murders, and there was supposed to be a bright side in all of it?

The girl nodded, looking at her fingers. "She says she's seen so much of it. She knows there's beauty and…" Sarah hesitated, trying to remember the difficult word, "… _comfort_ in it, and that when it's her time, she'll see my Mommy, too. She says we shouldn't grieve, for the dead wouldn't want us to. So, I don't get sad about Mommy anymore. Auntie-Mal said she wants me to be happy. Although, I don't know how Auntie-Mal can know what Mommy thinks… Maybe sister's can read each other's minds, even when one isn't alive anymore."

"Your aunt actually talks about _these things_ with you?" Aurora asked, eyebrows raised. There was absolutely no room in her brain for the mental images of her lover talking about something so serious with the child; Maleficent never talked, unless pressured, and even then it was quite rare.

"Yes", Sarah replied, bringing her hands up to the back of her head to feel what Aurora had done to her hair. "Daddy says Auntie-Mal is darker than others, that she's seen things that makes her live life differently. And he said that's her choice. I don't understand what he means, but he said that when I'm older, I'd understand why my aunt always seems like she's… half-dreaming. Like, I sometimes feel that she's with me, when she hugs me, but then she's suddenly somewhere else. It's funny."

"Yes, it is…", Aurora whispered, completely understanding what the girl meant. It was true; sometimes when Maleficent looked at her, she was there, flesh and bone, but her eyes looked like they were seeing something other than Aurora. Sometimes, she'd feel like Maleficent was, indeed,_ far away_. And then, she never knew what to do to reach her, so she'd always wait it out. But now it was obvious that she wasn't like that only towards Aurora, but to others as well. The hints and traces of something dark and heavy seeping through her soul had not been Aurora's imagination playing tricks on her. Snapping out of her trance, she tied the girl's braid into a knot.

"It feels weird", Sarah laughed, turning around to look at Aurora. Out of nowhere, the girl's expression went from excited to serious, as if she was mirroring the look Aurora knew was in her eyes, unable to smile it away. "Aurora?"

"Yes, sweetie?" she asked, her voice lower than usual.

"Do you believe in angels?"

Not even knowing why, Aurora suddenly felt tears burning in her eyes and she opened her mouth to take a deep breath. The girl's stare was curious, but also pleading, like she wanted Aurora to say '_yes_'. Slowly, Aurora raised her hand and put it against the girl's cheek. She felt incredibly cold. "My Mommy died as well", she whispered, forcing a smile. "I think your aunt looks at things from a point of view, that makes it easier for her to live. But I miss my Mum every day. She was my best friend. And…." She exhaled slowly, trying to find a way to make the girl smile. "I know I will see her again, when the times is right. Until then, I talk to her in my dreams. She visits me in my dreams. That's how I _know _she's out there, somewhere." With that, she took the little brunette into her arms and caressed the top of her head. When Sarah's slender arms crept around Aurora's neck, she closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, not understanding how this tiny human being had managed to unravel her completely and send her into a place she'd managed to avoid - until now.


	16. Walls

Rain came pouring down as Maleficent drove past the juncture of Hartford Avenue. Her heart was beating in rhythm with the radio, pulse slightly quicker than usual. The reason for her agitated state was no other than the fact that she'd agreed to Aurora's wish; meeting her father.

After a night of persuading and pleas, topped with the kind words _'He's all I have left and I want him back into my life'_, Maleficent had finally agreed to meet Stefan Briars the next time he'd come up and visit Aurora. Unfortunately, she only needed to wait until the weekend before Aurora announced the arrival of her father. As Sunday became Monday, the day had come, far faster than Maleficent had wanted.

Swearing under her breath, she pulled onto highway 91, thankful for the lack of heavy traffic at this hour. It was close to four in the afternoon and she'd agreed to meet the blonde and her father at _Molly's Restaurant & Bar_ on South Main Street, barely 10 minutes away from where she was now. The meeting came with rules, though, as everything else concerning Maleficent always did. She'd agreed to have a cup of coffee with them if Aurora promised _not_ to reveal the nature of their relationship. After many minutes of pouting, Aurora had agreed to describe her lover as someone she trusted deeply, someone that had helped her get away from her ex-boyfriend. Maleficent had concluded that it would have to be enough, for now. After all, no father would be happy about their daughter seeing someone _that_ many years older.

The meeting wasn't the only thing that had baffled Maleficent these past few days. The night Diaval and Sarah had come over, Aurora had somehow become softer - as if she wasn't already. As their guests had left, Aurora had pulled Maleficent into the bedroom, gently laying her down on the bed while carefully removing her clothes. Not that Maleficent complained, but it was the first time Aurora had touched her softly instead of passionately and hard. Whenever she'd let the girl touch her, she'd always _literally_ fucked her so hard she'd eventually had to force her to stop. But not that night: that night, Aurora had softly moved inside of her, _making love_ to her, in the middle of it all stopping to look into her eyes, like she was searching. Whatever it was the girl was looking for, Maleficent did not know. The gesture had been foreign and confusing, and made her feel naked underneath the girl – something she did not appreciate at all. Naturally, she hadn't asked Aurora about it, partially because she hated deep conversations and partially because she was slightly frightened of what the girl would tell her.

Pulling into the driveway of the diner, Maleficent parked her car and sat still for a moment after turning off the engine. This was one of those situations when she had to embrace the voice in her head, telling her the agitated state she found herself in was due to nervousness – and she hated being nervous. Glancing out the window, she knew Aurora and her father were already inside the diner. Next to her car there was a beige Mercedes looking rather new and very, very expensive. She threw a wild guess that it belonged to Mr. Briars.

Sighing, she stepped out into the rain and ran to the front door of the diner. Pulling the handle, she wiped her already damp hair out of her face and hurried inside, looking around.

It was a classic diner with colours of red and green, striped tablecloths and leather chairs with a stacked main-bar, with every kind of ale one could ask for. Looking around, Maleficent recognized a couple of students from the college, slurping milkshakes in a corner with half-empty plates of burgers in front of them. Frowning, she considered making a run for it, but as she was about to turn around, she heard a familiar voice call out from her right.

"Maleficent", Aurora shouted, suddenly appearing on her right side. As usual, the girl's crystal-clear eyes were full of joy and her smile was exceptionally bright. Responsibly, she didn't show any other affection than grabbing Maleficent's coated arm, and pulling her further into the restaurant. "You're soaking wet, come, I ordered a coffee for you", she smiled, turning her head so quickly her blonde hair flew around.

'_Oh sweet lord'_, Maleficent thought to herself as she followed Aurora. Was it in her mind, or was she actually feeling her knees tremble a little bit? It had been years since the last time she'd been introduced to someone's parents and no matter how many years she had on her, it never seemed to get easier. Hoping the rain hadn't ruined her foundation, she took a sharp intake of breath as they stopped by one of the lodges.

"Dad", Aurora began sweetly. "This is Professor Maleficent Minardi."

Maleficent's eyes went from Aurora to the man she was talking to. In front of them stood a boyishly handsome business-man in his early fifties, dressed in a light-blue shirt and a black jacket. His beard was neatly shaved off and his thick hair was combed back, making him a perfect example of every advertisement for any company that was out there.

"Miss Minardi", he said with a low voice, raising his hand. "Stefan Briars. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The man's dark eyes bore into Maleficent's like they actually were on fire. Realizing her mouth had been slightly open, she quickly put on a smile and accepted his handshake – a handshake that was a bit gentler than she had expected. Eyes shooting down to their touching hands and then back up to the man's face, she cleared her throat. "Mr. Briars, nice to meet you."

"Please", he began, still holding her hand. "Call me Stefan. Aurora here has told me great things about you."

"Has she, now?" she mumbled, shooting a glance at Aurora, who was standing next to them, still smiling kindly. She nodded in response, then gestured Maleficent to sit down behind the other side of the table. Aurora's father had finally let go of her hand, so she obeyed as Aurora sat down next to him, taking off her wet coat.

"So", Stefan began, crossing his hands onto the table, next to his cup of coffee. "I understand you teach Italian at my daughter's college."

Maleficent's eyes moved between Stefan and Aurora, not sure which of them to look at. She felt extremely uncomfortable, even though there was nothing hostile in the man's eyes, on the contrary; they were incredibly warm, just like his daughter's even though they were an entirely different colour. "I do", she finally replied, nodding slightly.

"You don't look Italian", Stefan laughed, looking at Aurora for back-up, but she simply giggled at the statement.

"Oh, I'm aware of that", Maleficent said, trying to laugh along with them, while inside she felt like choking. "My mother was English, my father Italian. But, neither he looked like most do over there... Hence my green eyes."

"Yes, I was just looking at them", Stefan replied, smiling softly. "You have very sharp features. But your accent tells me you're British, is that right?" He stopped to watch Maleficent nod. "Sussex?"

"London", she smiled, taking a sip of the cappuccino Aurora had bought her in advance. It was still slightly warm, but not enough for her taste. The blonde was looking at her closely, eyebrows raised, telling Maleficent she needed to loosen up. Swallowing her coffee, Maleficent looked up at Stefan. "What is it you do, Stefan?"

Surprisingly, it was now he who looked down at his coffee before meeting the brunette's eyes, and there it was again; the intent, burning look in his pupils. "I'm a contractor", he replied, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Maleficent noticed the corner of his eye slightly twitching as he spoke, as if he was a bit uncomfortable as well. "I run a series of companies from New York to Delaware. There are a couple in California, as well. That's where I was, when Aurora's ex-boyfriend caused my girl all that sorrow."

Maleficent watched his hand sneak around Aurora's shoulders, gently pulling her in. The blonde gave him a smile in return, visibly happy to be there.

"Aurora told me you were the person she went to when that little son of a bitch put his hands on her", Stefan mumbled, still looking at his daughter. "I was in Los Angeles at the time, unable to get to her. So…" He looked up, catching the brunette's eyes. "I wanted to thank you for being there to look after Aurora and giving her a safe place when I could not do that."

Hell literally froze over in Maleficent's chest. Based on how Aurora had described her father, she'd visualized a cold, strict man who liked to keep everything in control, no matter what it was. Whenever Aurora had spoken of Stefan, she'd done so with great respect, making sure Maleficent understood that beneath the power and harsh exterior he was a _great_ man who did whatever was necessary for his family. But this man was not what she'd expected. In Maleficent's eyes, he was sweet and protective, very friendly and easy to approach. Whenever she found herself in a situation that didn't meet her expectations, out of loss of control she always felt uncomfortable. Now, though, it wasn't anyone's fault. She'd simply been wrong and quickly needed to get over her astonishment.

"You're welcome", she replied, smiling vaguely. "Aurora is one of my best students, and hearing what had happened was, of course, heart-breaking."

"Not many teachers care for their students _like that_", Stefan continued, still gazing at her attentively. "You must be one of a kind, Miss Minardi."

Heart skipping, Maleficent was sure she was reading into his words too much. What he'd just said couldn't possibly mean he knew? She hoped the panic didn't show on her face.

"I mean", he quickly continued, "Close relationships with students are ever so often misinterpreted, aren't they? Luckily, there's _no_ such danger here. I'm glad Aurora has someone she can confide in. That friend of hers, Esmeralda, is such a basket case."

"Dad, she's fine", Aurora cut in, slightly annoyed, and clearly terrified as she'd heard her father bluntly state that there couldn't be anything between her and her teacher. "Esme's just different, and you don't like people that stand out", she continued, pushing the conversation away from the subject of her and Maleficent.

"Now, don't say that", he whispered, squeezing her shoulder a bit harder. "Miss Minardi here is clearly different. I can tell that just from _looking_ at her." And suddenly his eyes roamed her, from her hastily buttoned white shirt to her sharp collarbones and slender neck, all the way up to her cheekbones. And then his eyes fell back to her shirt, with a slight smirk on his lips, making Maleficent shift uncomfortably in her seat; she knew the rain had made the front of her white shirt rather see-through.

"I believe difference is a virtue", Maleficent said, needing to break the silence and force Stefan's eyes back up to her own. "Aurora here is quite different. I'm sure you know all of this, but she's extremely positive and tentative concerning everything. And she's hard-working, as well. In my experience, it isn't easy to find hard-working students who come from slightly benefitted families."

He nodded, never breaking eye contact. "Yes, she's like that. But of course Aurora has been through some things that _obviously_ change a person." As he said so, Maleficent's eyes flickered to Aurora, whose face was no longer bright. The conversation had clearly de-railed to a subject she had no wish to talk about.

Clearing her throat again, Maleficent was just about to ask some more about Stefan's business when her phone rang in her bag. Letting out a deep breath, she shot an apologizing look towards Stefan as she began searching for her phone. When she found it, Diaval's name was on her screen. "I'm sorry, I do have to take this", she mumbled, looking at Aurora. "It's Professor Diaval."

Aurora leaned towards her father's ear as Maleficent answered the phone. "Professor Harry Diaval is Professor Minardi's brother-in-law. He teaches psychology at my school."

"I see", he replied, looking at the brunette with the phone to her ear.

"He's _here_?" Maleficent asked with a surprised look. "No, it's all right, I'll be there in twenty. Wait for me." She hung up the phone and looked at the screen for a few moments before meeting Aurora's asking eyes. "I really am sorry but Harry needs me at the police station."

"Is everything all right?" Stefan asked before Aurora got a chance to open her mouth.

"Yes," Maleficent replied, brushing her hair behind her ear. "All is well, there is just someone we need to talk to." Starting to pull on her coat, Stefan rose up to shake her hand once again. She glared at it, then rose herself, taking it.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Minardi", he whispered, his thumb brushing her hand as their skin met.

Maleficent's thoughts immediately shot back to the summer night at _Joe's_, when she'd met Aurora for the first time. Clenching her jaw, it was all too familiar; his eyes bore into her the same way his daughter's did. "Likewise", she whispered in reply, quickly pulling her hand away. "Aurora, I'll see you on campus." She gave the blonde - her lover - a faint smile, then grabbed her bag and hurried towards the door, half of her coffee still left in the cup on the table.

Aurora let out a deep breath, hoping Maleficent's rush had a proper reason and was not some kind of in-advance made escape plan. Nevertheless, she felt a weight leave her shoulders. She'd gotten what she wanted, and it had even gone quite well.

"What does she have to do with the police?" Stefan suddenly asked, pulling Aurora out of her thoughts. "Is she involved in something?"

Aurora shook her head, biting her lower lip. She wasn't sure whether or not she could tell her father what Maleficent and Diaval were doing. Although, since it was her _father_, the information wouldn't go further. "She's, uh… She's working on a psychological profile together with Professor Diaval. The girls I told you about and Jasmine… Well, it's to find whoever killed them. Miss Minardi used to be into criminology, before starting with linguistics."

"Is that so?" he asked, eyebrows raised. He took a sip of his coffee, and then put his arm back around Aurora's shoulders. "Well, isn't it wonderful? You've got someone like that protecting you, now."

* * *

Soaking wet once more, Maleficent hurried through the double-doors of the entrance of the police station, right away finding Diaval waiting for her. As usual, he had a folder in his hands and his foot was slightly twitching. _'Seems like he's got his share of being nervous as well'_, Maleficent thought as she reached him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Where were you?" he asked, kissing her back.

"Coffee with dear old dad", she mumbled, shrugging her shoulders. "Thank goodness you got me out of there. Now, what have we got?"

"He's in the interrogation room", Diaval replied, putting his arm around Maleficent's waist and rushing them down the hall. "I didn't expect him to get here so fast, but I sure as hell am glad he did. Don't know how useful he'll be, though." He opened the door to the part of the interrogation facility that was reserved for the police force. As Maleficent entered, she was face to face with a wall of glass.

As she approached the glass, on the other side she saw a middle-aged, bald man sitting in front of a table. Next to his arms, resting on the table, was an ashtray and a pack of Marlboro smokes. Maleficent's eyes narrowed as she watched the man light yet another cigarette; there were already four in the silver ashtray.

"Professor Diaval, Professor Minardi."

Both of them turned around and were met by Sheriff Carlings, looking very tired and annoyed. There were heavy bags under his eyes and his hair had clearly not been combed for quite a while. Maleficent suspected his sloppy appearance was the result of too many nights reading never-ending files.

"Hello again", Maleficent said sharply. "Professor Diaval called me, I hope you don't mind me –"

"By all means", he cut in, nodding. "We can use all the help we can get. Here." He handed her a microphone, then gave Diaval a tiny ear-piece. "You'll be able to communicate with Professor Diaval through this. He'll go in, we'll observe from out here."

She nodded and flipped it on as Diaval put the little circular piece into his ear. Nodding at the Sheriff, he exited the room, leaving Maleficent alone with the older man.

The door on the other side of the glass clicked, and Diaval walked into the interrogation room. The man by the table raised his chin and simply gave him a quick nod as a hello. Diaval pulled out the chair by the other side of the table and sat down, his profile visible to Maleficent and the Sheriff. He put the brown file he'd been carrying onto the table in front of him.

"I'm glad you decided to come, Mr. Jennings", Diaval said, leaning back in his chair. "It's nice to actually meet you after all those voicemails I left you."

The older man simply puffed out some smoke, eyes on the table. "Well, you're a persistent asshole", he replied arrogantly.

Diaval chuckled, pulling out his electronic cigarette from his jacket-pocket. "Look, council, I'll go straight to the point to save you some time. I know Jessica Roberts hired you before she was killed. Why'd she do that?"

The man rubbed his wrinkled forehead and put out his cigarette, right away lighting another one. "Her mother died."

"Yes, I'm aware of that", Diaval said, nostrils flaring at the smoke coming from the Marlboros. "What was her business?"

Blowing out a thick cloud of smoke, the man finally met Diaval's eyes. "Well, upon her death, she left everything to the girl, of course. There weren't any siblings. Jessica was the bastard child of Lauren Roberts and never knew her father. But like I said, the mother left her everything, except, _everything_ was barely _anything_."

Diaval frowned, leaning forward. "What do you mean?"

The lawyer shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, she was penniless upon her death. The treatment she received cost her everything. So, when Jessica called me and said she wanted to meet, she said it was concerning her will. Apparently, her mother had this big, dark secret she'd never told anyone, until now."

Diaval shot a glance at the glass separating him and the lawyer from Maleficent and the Sheriff, even though he couldn't see anything but his own reflection. Behind the glass, Maleficent held her breath, waiting for the rest of the story.

"What was the secret?" Diaval asked, staring at the man in front of him.

Jennings laughed quietly, then began coughing from the smoke around his head. When he finally cleared his throat, he shook his head, looking at Diaval. "Well that's the fucking problem, isn't it? She storms into my office, says she needs a lawyer for a bunch of fucking DNA-tests and refuses to tell me why. She said she wasn't sure of anything, only that she was going to need a lawyer because she was in over her head. Apparently, someone had recommended me. She was a bit crazy, if you ask me."

"I'm not asking", Diaval murmured. "And she was not crazy; she was brilliant, from what I hear." He took a pause, steadying his breathing. "So, she never told you whose blood she needed?"

"Nope", Jennings replied, licking his lips. "But I'll tell you this: She was scared out of her fucking mind. She did this thing, you know, what these ex-gang members do on the street? They look over their shoulders all the time. She did, too, even in my office. She was fidgeting like her pants were on fire."

"And you have no idea who she was afraid of, who she was running from?" Diaval asked, annoyed by the lawyer's cocky attitude. Behind the glass, Maleficent knew he was trying to keep himself from insulting the man.

"Oh, no", Jennings replied, putting out his cigarette and crossing his arms over his chest. "That girl didn't run away from anyone until she ran for her life. Before that, it was her running after someone else." With that, he lit his seventh cigarette and lowered his gaze to the table.

Diaval reached for his file and opened it, pulling out eight photographs and laying them on the table before Jennings, who paid no attention. Maleficent recognized the photos; four of them were portraits of the murdered women, and the other four were photos of their faces, from the crime scenes.

"Please, take a look at these, Mr. Jennings", Diaval said as kindly as he could, resting his elbows onto the table. "Just look closely, and tell me if you recognize any of these girls, all right?"

Sighing deeply, Jennings inhaled and leaned forward while breathing out the smoke. His face turned a shade whiter as he saw the pictures of every girl prior- and post-mortem. Slowly, he raised his hand and pointed at one of the photos, gritting his teeth. "That one", he mumbled.

Diaval leaned forward, taking the photograph into his hand. "You're certain?" he asked.

Jennings stared at him with narrow eyes. "If that's you people's way of saying _'sure'_, then yeah, I'm _certain_."

Diaval turned the photo towards the glass so that Maleficent could see it. And as she did, she gasped. It was Tina Collins, the third year law student who'd they long regarded as the first victim, until Jessica Roberts' body had been found.

"Where'd you see this girl?" Diaval asked Jennings.

"I met her twice", he replied calmly. "The first time was in court, it was a low-profile case; I was handling a legal dispute concerning assets, and she was sitting in the back of the courtroom, taking notes. I suspect she was there just to listen to it. The second time, she was in my office. She escorted Jessica when she came to see me, and then sat outside in the hallway until she left. I remember her because of her hair. I always hated platinum blondes. Sad thing that, though." He put out his cigarette into the ashtray, then pushed his chair back and got up. "If there's nothing else, Professor Diaval, I've got to get back to Boston."

Diaval nodded, thanking Jennings for his help. As the man approached the door with his coat under his arm, he turned around towards Diaval.

"If you really want to crack this case, kiddo, you need to take a look at Jessica's dead mother, Lauren. Otherwise, you and that pretty brunette behind the glass there are in deep shit, and I've seen some deep shit in my life. It ain't fun." With that, he opened the door and walked out, leaving both Diaval and Maleficent baffled over the fact that all along, he'd known she'd been there.

* * *

**_A/N: Oh, this is getting deeper. I would like to say thank you for all of those wonderful reviews on chapter 15, they made my day and keep it up: constructive feedback makes this story better. Had ALOT of trouble getting this uploaded, but hope y'all liked it. I'm off to the bar, have a great saturday night (and don't do the John Travolta-dance...) xx - D_ **


	17. L&M

Aurora had spent the rest of her evening dining with her father at a restaurant a little bit south of Hanover in order to get away from everyone who resided there. As usual, Aurora had babbled all through the night and her father had simply listened, mumbling and nodding every now and then. It was always like that; she tried to repair their relationship by trying to find something in common to discuss, while he drank his wine and pretended to listen as his thoughts were with his business and all the money he needed to make, that very moment - which in reality, was _none_.

Maleficent had asked Aurora not to return to her apartment that night in order to avoid suspicion, and naturally, Aurora complied. Her father had dropped her off on campus, just right outside Esme's dormitory, and informed her that he'd be leaving the next morning. Slight sadness had sunk in Aurora's chest although she'd known that he'd probably only stay for a bit, like he always did. Parting ways, she'd remained silent, wishing he'd find the time to actually get to know the only daughter he had. Still, her wish had not been heard: he'd given her a quick kiss on the cheek and told her to come visit him on the coast. It was one of those visits they often talked about, although both of them knew that it was an illusion; he wouldn't have time to show her around and she wouldn't stand staying behind cold stone walls, hour after hour.

"He called me a _basket case_?" Esme blurted, throwing some popcorn at Aurora. They were resting on Esme's couch, watching the first season of _Lost_ on ABC. Aurora had already changed into her PJ-shorts and top, and now threw the popcorn back at her friend, who dove behind a couple of couch-cushions.

"Well, you are a bit of a mess", Aurora pointed out, reaching for her bag of crisps. "If it wasn't for you, Maleficent would never have gotten into that mess with Phillip and Brigham."

"Hold on a minute, now", Esme said, raising one of her hands. "If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have had a reasonable explanation for that little message she sent, and she'd now be screwed."

"Without you sneaking around there wouldn't have been anything to sort out at all!" Aurora laughed, desperate to win the battle against her lunatic friend.

"Um, I do beg to differ", Esme continued, adding a twitch of a British accent to her first line, mimicking Maleficent right on the spot. "If it wasn't for me, she wouldn't have had a reason to call you to her office, and you two might never have gotten - "

"Okay, this could go on for a while", Aurora cut in, shaking her head.

Esme wiped some of her dark mane out of her face and glared at Aurora with her olive-green eyes. "Was your Dad an asshole, again?"

Aurora sighed and reached for one of the cushions, pulling it into her lap. "Not directly, he was like he always is. Cold, sharp… But it got really weird; when we were at _Molly's_, he wasn't at all himself."

"Excuse me?" came the muffled words of Esme, her mouth full with popcorn and eyes stuck on the TV-screen.

"He was nice to her", Aurora whispered, thinking. "He was super-charming, I haven't seen him like that in a very long time. He shook her hand _twice_, stared at her eyes and gave her a load of compliments. I mean, _what the fuck_?"

Esme started laughing, catching Aurora's attention. The blonde frowned, eyebrows raised in a questioning manner, and Esme swallowed quickly. "Well isn't it obvious? The whole Briars-family suffers from Miss Minardi-inflicted-doormat-condition. First you, then him. That's hilarious."

"Stop joking!" Aurora hissed, becoming agitated. "It isn't funny, he's my father."

"Oh please, the only thing he's the father of is your goddamned credit card", Esme replied, not knowing when to shut up and not really caring. Since Aurora was her best friend, she prided herself in not having to know any limits. "He was never around when you were a kid, Rores, I would remember. He was always working, it was Leila who was home with you. Your Dad was like… _Santa Claus_; whenever he showed up, it was amazing for you, but you couldn't count on him being there for the rest of the year. Am I right?"

Aurora stayed silent, staring at the television with its beautiful, turquoise waves and golden sand. For a moment she imagined herself somewhere warm, forever staying in the abyss of never-ending limbo.

"I'm right", Esme muttered, reaching for her beer. "Stop sulking, Rores. You should be happy that she agreed to meet Stefan. If it had been me, I'd taken the next train to Idaho. This must mean she's really serious about you."

"Well, you'd think", Aurora mumbled, then held her arm out, asking Esme to give her the beer.

"She still doesn't talk?" she asked.

"Nope." Aurora rolled the bottle between her hands, reading the label, but then not _really _reading it. "She's just so freaking physical, it's impossible to get anything out of her. But I did meet her niece, Sarah, Professor Diaval's daughter."

That caught Esme's attention and she immediately sat up, crossing her legs. "Oh? What's she like? Does she look like him? How does she talk?"

Aurora laughed at Esme's suddenly awakened enthusiasm and took a sip. "She's so freaking cute. She's got this thick, dark hair and these amazing eyes. And she speaks with a British accent, just like her father. And she looks like she's a _mimi-me_ of Maleficent and Diaval mixed together, I mean, I could swear she was their daughter."

Esme grimaced at the thought.

"She spoke of her mother", Aurora continued. "She's insanely smart. She spoke of things I've never heard a seven-year-old talk about. And she said Maleficent is dark and believes in a brighter side of death. Maybe that's why she is the way she is; she might believe the afterlife is better than this one."

"She's clearly never been on spring break", Esme mumbled, snatching the bottle back. "Aurora…?"

"Mm?" the blonde asked, looking at her friend beside her.

"Do you think she's in it for the long haul?" Esme asked, shoulders tense. "I mean, the struggle you went through to get her to admit that she _liked_ you. And then, she let you _move in_. She's serious, isn't she?

Aurora frowned; it wasn't like her friend to get like this. She propped herself up on her elbows, sapphire eyes piercing Esme's green ones. "I hope so. I don't think she'd do all of this - risk losing her job - if she didn't really want me. I don't - I haven't thought about it. All I can think about is that wherever she is, I always need to be near her."

Esme bit her lower lip, shooting a glance at the screen. "Never mind my joke; you don't honestly think your Dad was acting like that because… well, infatuation…?"

Aurora opened her mouth to say something snotty, but stopped herself. Her father _had_ acted strangely, showing sides of himself that few people had had the pleasure - or displeasure - of witnessing. And now that she recalled the coffee session, Maleficent's eyes had been glued on Stefan throughout the whole conversation, which meant he'd held her gaze nonstop.

"Aurora - "

"Give me the freaking beer", she mumbled, holding out her hand. Esme immediately gave it to her, and she swallowed a couple of heavy gulps all at once. "Look, I can't count on my father. If he liked her, then he did. I wouldn't blame him. Is it disgusting? God, yes, on so many levels. If he knew about her and me… I don't even want to talk about it." She felt goosebumps at the thought of telling her father, and suddenly understood where all that panic in Maleficent's eyes had come from, a couple of nights back. Swallowing, she shut her eyes and tried to force her father out of her mind. As he was replaced by the object of her affection, she smiled, knowing Maleficent loved her and would never even consider such a thing as the one Esme had implied.

Except, Maleficent had never _told_ her she loved her. Remembering, Aurora's smile faded, and later she sunk into a restless sleep on the couch, twisting and turning into the early hours of the morning.

* * *

Maleficent, too, had slept rather badly. She parked her car on the east side of campus, turning off the engine and shooting a glance at herself in the rearview-mirror. Luckily, she'd managed to successfully cover the darkness underneath her eyes. Yesterday's interrogation with Jennings had been running in her mind all night long. They'd decided that Diaval would take a look at Jessica Roberts' mother Lauren, while Maleficent would look further into the connection between Jessica and the second victim, Tina Collins, in order to find a reason why it had been her who Jennings had seen, twice. As usual, the Sheriff had given them free hands, kindly admitting that they'd never had to deal with anything this big before.

Sighing, Maleficent opened the door and stepped out of her car, her coat hanging loosely on her shoulders. She'd decided today would be more of a casual day; she'd picked a pair of skin-tight Diesel-jeans together with an open Tiger of Sweden-blouse, finishing off with a woolen scarf around her neck. It was windy; she shivered, partially from the cold - partially from being so utterly tired. When she turned back towards the door of her car, finger ready on the button locking it, the reflection made her stop and freeze.

A beige Mercedes had appeared on the surface of the window on the driver's side. Clutching her keys, her eyes watched the glass as a man approached her from the car, walking easily, like he had no care in the world. She straightened her back and took a deep breath before turning around sharply, her pony-tail nearly whipping her face. What in the world could he want, now?

Stefan Rose was standing only a few feet away, rolling a cigarette between his fingers. Neatly dressed, signaling he settled only for the best, he put his other hand into the pocket of his pants and simply looked at her with his ravaging eyes.

"Mr. Briars", Maleficent spoke softly, trying to smile. "What brings you here?" Her own car was right behind her and he'd blocked the way out, giving her no other alternative than staying put.

Stefan half-smiled, tilting his head to the side. He inhaled, then blew the smoke out - right into Maleficent's face. It reminded her of Jennings; the same arrogant, superior attitude. "I couldn't leave without thanking you _once_ more, Miss Minardi", he replied, taking out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He opened it, then reached out. "Smoke?"

Maleficent pursed her lips and shot a glance at some of the students passing them from a few yards away. Arrogance would hurt her, that much she knew. "Why not." She raised her hand and realized Stefan smoked the same brand as she did, occasionally. Frowning at the coincidence, she brought the killing device up to her red lips and he immediately raised his lighter, setting her cigarette on fire. As she exhaled, she met his gaze. "I do believe one gesture of gratitude is enough. Thank you for the cigarette. Now, if you'll excuse me, I - "

"I want you to keep an eye on Aurora", he suddenly said, raising his cigarette to his lips. The wind was blowing in his hair, but Maleficent kept her eyes on his. "She's been through a great ordeal. First her mother, then her friend. I would appreciate it, if you'd watch her where I can't."

_'Fair enough'_, she thought to herself as she inhaled once more, kindly blowing the smoke into another direction than Stefan's face. Smiling vaguely, she nodded. "If you feel compelled to have eyes on her at all times, I'll do my best to keep her out of harm's way." She shifted her weight from one leg to another and shot a quick glance at the entrance to the campus, pondering what kind of line would get her away from him as fast as possible. He hadn't come to talk about Aurora. Nothing about the way he looked was _friendly_.

Stefan caught her sighting for an exit, and took a step towards her, immediately making her back up against the side of her car. Putting out his cigarette under his boot and lighting another one as he gazed upon her face, he smirked. "Well, what about you?"

"I beg your pardon?" she whispered, irritation creeping in the pit of her stomach.

He smiled, genuinely, but there was a trace of danger in his eyes. Needless to say, she knew what the look stood for. "What compels you?"

She raised her chin to meet his eyes as she flipped the cigarette onto the ground, not bothering to put it out. "What makes you think something compels me?"

He chuckled darkly, eyeing her up and down. "Don't tell me a woman like _you_ isn't compelled by something. That sharp face and those looks. Behind those beautiful eyes of yours, you're constantly thinking and don't try denying it." He paused and took yet another step closer, leaving only a few feet between their bodies. "Are you always so modest?"

Maleficent felt her heartbeat quicken. She didn't even know him, and he was too damn close. Processing what he had just stated, she searched for a sharp reply. "I might be. A woman like me has a free will and doesn't need to be compelled."

Stefan's right hand suddenly travelled from his pocket to the side of her waist, softly - yet with silent force - pushing her against the car. Maleficent clenched her jaw and turned her head to the side, avoiding both his piercing eyes and the heavy smoke he was breathing.

"You know", he began, fingers moving up to the side of her neck, caressing her pulse point, like a predator ready to strike. "If you didn't ooze such confidence and pride, I'd say this ragged breathing of yours is the result of you being afraid of me."

Maleficent turned her head, looking him in the eye whilst trying not to blink. The rest of his body was now completely pressed against her, challenging her. She leaned her head forward, leaving only mere inches between their faces. "Unlike others, Mr. Briars", she softly purred, standing her ground. "_I'm_ not afraid of you."

Stefan's eyes travelled from her emerald orbs to her full, red lips, then further down. "Well", he whispered as his fingers moved down from her throat to the open neckline of her blouse. "Maybe you _should_ be."

Maleficent's hand immediately shot up to grab his wrist when the tips of his fingers traced the skin of her bare chest. The act made him look straight back up into her eyes, a devilish grin appearing on his lips. Her face was firm, jaw clenched and cheekbones sharper than ever. Her grip on his wrist was so tight, he felt her nails dig into his skin through his sleeve.

Raising his other hand, he caressed the hand holding onto his wrist. "Dovendo scegliere tra il leone e l'agnello, direi che nessuno dei due ti si addice." He leaned a bit closer, making sure Maleficent could smell him so close to her. "Devo ammettere che sei davvero _unica_ nel tuo genere."

His scent filled her nostrils and she fought not to cringe. Deciding that the conversation was over, she leaned forward herself, making sure her eyes were filled with the confidence and pride he'd spoken of. "E faresti bene a ricordartelo", she whispered as she snatched her hand away and pushed past him. She pulled out her keys from her jacket pocket and pushed the button locking the car, then walked off without turning around, although she knew he was watching her every step with those evil, fiery eyes. All traces of warmth she'd seen in them yesterday were now long gone.

When she finally reached the corner of the first building, she stopped and leaned against it, realizing her hands were shaking. She gasped for breath, the panic and anxiousness finally taking over. She thanked God she'd been able to hold out that long. Deciding she'd do everything to never have to meet that man again, she searched for the keys to her office and continued towards the psychology department.

* * *

Later that same day, after lunch, Maleficent found herself in the campus library, searching for any kind of literature analysis of the _Divine Comedy_ by Dante Alighieri. Foolishly, she'd left her own copies at home and needed to sort out the program for next day's lessons. Slowly walking past heavy brown shelves of books, her gaze travelled from old knitted hardcovers to soft paperbacks when her eyes finally found a familiar, ocean blue cover.

Rising onto her tiptoes, which was rather difficult in heels, she reached and pulled the book out from the seventh shelf, pulling a pile of dust with her. Coughing, she wiped the book with the back of her sleeve and reached inside her pocket for her glasses. _Dante Interpreted_ by Epiphanius Wilson was exactly what she'd been looking for. Smiling, she headed for the center of the library.

In the middle of it all were several long tables, accompanied by silver lamps. She was oddly reminded of the New York Public Library, as the windows in this one were almost as big as the ones in the city. The golden colour of wood was everywhere, even in the chairs around the tables. Looking around, most of the corners were occupied by students studying for their thesis's and midterms. She settled for a spot by the middle of the long table, sitting down and crossing her legs. As she opened the book, Stefan crept into her mind once more.

If Maleficent was sure of anything, it was that of not telling Aurora. It was the last thing she wanted to do; upset her. The sweet girl had seemed utterly uncomfortable the day before, and knowing that her rather disgusting father had waited for Maleficent on campus would hardly make matters better. Still, Maleficent wondered if Stefan's actions were simply a result of fascination; they did seem a little extreme. She was used to getting looks - hell, she was even used to being asked out anywhere she went - but to be getting those same vibes from her _lover's_ father was just beyond sane, in her mind.

_Aurora_. Maleficent smiled behind the book as she thought of the blonde. During these last few weeks, she herself experienced their relationship to have become very close; closer than she'd let anyone in a long time. Having Aurora tiptoe around her apartment - making breakfast or writing essays - made her incredibly warm at heart. She bit the inside of her cheek, contemplating whether or not she should tell Aurora that she'd grown to care for the girl tremendously. It was no secret to herself that she was hard work, she even considered it her signature. But Aurora was young and vulnerable. Closeness and kind words were the things that made her the happiest, Maleficent had discovered. Turning the page, she decided she'd do something nice for her when she'd get home tonight. They never texted, so they hadn't spoken to each other since _Molly's_.

A curious feeling brought Maleficent back to reality. Lowering the book a couple of inches to peek over it, she looked around, absolutely sure someone was looking at her. For her, it was like a sixth sense; she always knew, and she hoped it wasn't Stefan, lurking somewhere in the library. No, not even he would've been that bold. But as Maleficent's eyes searched her surroundings, no one's eyes were on her. Shrugging her shoulders, she brought the book back up to her face, deciding it had to have been a figment of her imagination.

Only moments later, she felt the same feeling again; hairs rising on the back of her neck. Peeking over the edge of the book, her eyes met a pair of olive-green ones, looking at her from right opposite of where she was sitting. Sighing, she raised a brow, staring the girl down. And as if Maleficent's eyes had shot daggers, Esme lowered her head down and returned her eyes to the screen of her laptop. Maleficent studied the girl for a moment; this was the first time she saw her up close, if their little run in with the case files didn't count. Suddenly, she understood why Stefan had called her a _basket case_, and she herself had referred to her as a _walking disaster_. The girl's dark hair was sprawled out in every direction, tresses way too heavy to be real cascading around her slightly-tanned face. She wore traditional, golden loops in her ears and nervously pulled on her right earlobe with her painted nails.

Maleficent inhaled sharply and quickly looked around. As her eyes returned to the book, Esme's eyes returned to her. Frustratingly exhaling, she slammed _Dante Interpreted_ shut with a bang and put it down on the table. Esme wasn't the only one looking at her now, but the other students quickly returned to their studies. This time, Esme tried lowering her gaze, hoping Maleficent hadn't burnt a nerve, but it was too late.

"Is there something I can help you with, Miss Loveridge", Maleficent began, "or are you simply contemplating whether or not you finally owe me an apology for that snotty eavesdropping a couple of months back?"

Esme's already tanned face became a slight shade of pink as she visibly shrunk in her chair, trying to hide behind the screen of her Macbook. She looked positively terrified. When she peeked up and realized that the Professor was still eyeing her down, she nervously shook her head and stared down at her own lap. "No, Miss. I mean, sorry, there was nothing on my mind."

Maleficent pursed her lips. The girl was clearly sweating in her seat. She found it incredibly funny that this little troll was her lover's dearest friend. Sighing, Maleficent grabbed _Dante Interpreted_ and got up, pushing her chair back. _'Oh, what the hell. She'll choke soon if I don't say something kind.'_ Heels clicked as she walked around the table, keeping eye-contact with Esme the whole time. When she'd walked around the table and come up to Esme's side, the girl immediately lowered the screen of her laptop, gulping nervously, as if she was hiding something.

"It's all right, Esmeralda", Maleficent whispered and leaned down to the girl's level, looking at her from behind the rim of her black glasses. "There are a lot of sins in this world; lust, greed… But _curiosity_ is not a sin." With that, she let her hand rest on the girl's shoulder, squeezing it slightly as a reassuring gesture.

Although Maleficent had meant well, Esme got up like her hand had burnt her through her jumper. She closed her laptop at once and put it under her arm, then turned to her teacher with panic in her eyes. "Yeah, um, sorry, Miss Minardi. There's somewhere I need to - I gotta go, bye."

And just like that, the girl hurried off in the other direction, heading for the back of the library, leaving Maleficent extremely baffled, still holding her book in her hands. She knew she could be strict and sometimes even frightening, but she hadn't expected the stuck-up girl to absolutely freak out from her simply trying to make conversation. Looking around, pairs of eyes were on her once again. Shaking her head, she turned her heel, deciding she'd continue reading in the privacy of her own office where she couldn't scare the hell out of anyone else.

Esme ran like she had a pack of wolves chasing her. She hurried through different sections of the library, searching for her friend. She finally found the golden blonde in the psychology section, sitting on the edge of a window with a huge pack of books in her lap. She seemed completely oblivious to the panting brunette until Esme cleared her throat.

"What happened?" Aurora laughed as she saw drops of sweat running from Esme's forehead to her cheeks.

"We gotta get out of here", Esme whispered, shaking her hand in the direction of the door. "Now."

"What are you on about?" Aurora frowned, shutting the thick book in her lap, slightly annoyed; she'd only just gotten started, finally finding an interesting case study that might actually prove itself to be useful.

Esme shot a glance behind her shoulder, as if she thought she was being followed. "Look, there's something I've got to show you, right now. Can you just trust me on this? I don't go all psycho without a reason, ever!"

She had a point, Aurora admitted to herself. Yes, her friend was extremely bipolar and yes, she'd get the weirdest mood-swings and sometimes even build the strangest of conspiracy theories, but this wasn't one of those moments. Esme seemed honestly nervous and anxious, so Aurora grabbed the huge pile of books and lifted it onto one of the shelves on her right. Still carrying her laptop under her arm, Esme reached for Aurora's hand and began rushing her out of the library.

"Esme, what's going on?" Aurora asked as they walked into one of the corridors, but there was no reply. Esme simply pulled her, checking every classroom as they walked. When she finally found an empty one on their left, she pushed Aurora inside and locked the door behind them, finally breathing out.

Aurora stood still and waited. Ironically, they were in the same classroom they'd hid in when they'd accidentally eavesdropped on Maleficent's, Diaval's and the Sheriff's conversation in the basement. Esme put her computer and bag down on one of the desks, then turned to face Aurora.

"Look", Esme whispered with labored breaths. "Something happened during lunch, when you went to the library. There's something I need to show you, and before I do, I want you to know that I'm here for you."

"Jesus, Esme, stop with the Oscar-speach", Aurora snapped, annoyed by the extra drama coming from Esme's mouth. "Can you just tell me what the hell is going on? You drag me out of the library and lock me into a classroom without any apparent reason. What is it?"

Esme opened her bag and took out a bunch of papers, holding them to her chest. "Phillip gave me these to give to you, during lunch. Rores - "

"Oh my God", Aurora whispered, covering her forehead with her palms, her voice echoing in the empty classroom. "What is it _this time_?"

Esme shifted uncomfortably where she stood and looked at the papers in her hands, then back up at Aurora. Her friend seemed to be on the edge of blowing up from frustration, so she swallowed and slowly passed the papers to Aurora. "Rores, I really am sorry to have to do this to you, but you need to know. It's about Maleficent."

* * *

Dovendo scegliere tra il leone e l'agnello, direi che nessuno dei due ti si addice. Devo ammettere che sei davvero unica nel tuo genere - _Choosing between the lion and the lamb, neither suits you. I must say, you really are one of a kind. _

E faresti bene a ricordartelo. - _And you had better remember it._

**_A/N: Once again, a huge thank you to everyone who followed, favourited & reviewed. Thoughts are more than appreciated. Special thanks to neaori for helping my utterly blocked piece of head translate. - D. _**


	18. Disguise

"_If I could turn the page in time then I'd rearrange just a day or two. _

_Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies."_ – Mendonca & Mcvie.

Raindrops began running down the old 18th century windows as Aurora's widening eyes travelled from the bold, black headline to the lead on the papers she held in her hand. A knot, tighter than any she'd ever tied herself, had suddenly appeared in her chest and she opened her mouth to take a couple of breaths as she felt stinging in the corners of her eyes. In her hands she held a copy of an original newspaper-article, dated March, 2010.

Esme's heart sank as she watched her friend reduce to nothing but a shadow of a million emotions. She reached out her hand to brush Aurora's shoulder, but the blonde flinched away, looking her in the eye with rage.

"What kind of a sick joke is _this_?" she hissed, knuckles whitening from anger.

Esme shook her head. At a loss of knowledge of how to act in a situation like the one they were in, she simply decided to answer her friend's question. "It's not a joke, Rores. That's what I was doing in the library when I came to get you, I was verifying it. That is a _real_ copy of _The Daily Telegraph_. I was checking online to see if it was a real story and not just some photoshopped crap, and it is real. I wrote that same headline into the search box, and it came up. It was only under the headline, though, and I found nothing when I tried typing her name in. That's why it didn't show when I googled her before."

Aurora's mouth fell agape. "You _googled _Maleficent?"

"Of course I did!" Esme snapped. "It's best-friend-responsibility."

Aurora shook her head, alternating looks between the papers in her hands and Esme. Gasping for air as the first tears silently fell from her eyes, Aurora's index-finger travelled across the surface of the printed article, stroking the face of her love. The brunette looked just like she had yesterday; messy, brown strands in her face, sharp, indifferent expression and pursed lips, with dignity like a halo around her head - dignity, that didn't cease even though she wore silver, tight handcuffs around her wrists with heavily armed officers escorting her out of an old office-unit.

Letting out a soft cry, both out of anger and out of sadness, Aurora wrinkled the papers into a ball and threw it on the floor as she faced away from Esme, covering her face in her hands. Crying silently, she bent down onto her knees as her body shook, not caring if anyone heard her. Esme approached her slowly, putting her hands on Aurora's back and stroking her blonde tresses, trying to comfort her.

"It's got to be a mistake", Aurora whispered between sobs, wiping her cheeks. "It's a mistake, it has to be. She wouldn't - I know her, she wouldn't do something like that. She doesn't -" Aurora stopped as her mind shot back to the day she'd finally agreed to speak to Phillip in the cafeteria. Staring in front of her, she heard her own words in her head. _'You need to trust me. I know her; at least I think I do. I see her in class. She's harsh, that's a given. But she's not the kind of person who walks around killing people'_.

Aurora got up so quickly Esme almost fell over, backing up to give her some room. "You said you got this from Phillip?"

Esme nodded, surprised by Aurora's sudden change. "He gave it to me during lunch. He said you wouldn't listen to him, so it was I who had to give it to you. He said he'd seen your father's car on campus. He'd thought that maybe Stefan was here to make sure Minardi got fired, but John hadn't heard anything. So… Rores, I'm sorry."

"My father was here?" Aurora asked, confused. And then suddenly time stopped as the pieces fell together. Horrified, she started pacing around in the empty classroom, searching her mind for coherent sentences. "He tried to warn me. Phillip - he tried to warn me. He kept saying that she's dangerous, that she'll hurt me. I thought he just meant…" She stopped on Esme's right side, turning towards her friend. "Oh my God, he knew all along. He was just waiting for the right moment, wasn't he?"

Esme shook her head. "I don't know anything about that. And just for the record, I'm not saying I believe this shit, but -"

"No, no, no, this is still some kind of a misunderstanding", Aurora cut in, raising her hand. "She didn't do this. She didn't do any of it."

"Aurora", Esme said, harshly. "Just stop for a second and think. The first time we saw her was in the summer, right? At _Joe's_. Right about the time these girls started getting killed. It's one hell of a coincidence."

Aurora chuckled in disbelief, throwing her hands into the air. "How can you even say something like that? You're crazy. You're absolutely crazy. Look, I don't care what that fucking newspaper says, I know her. Whatever happened, she didn't do it. She _couldn't_."

"Are you sure about that?" Esme asked, crossing her arms. "She appears from out of nowhere, people start dying, and now this!" She angrily pointed at the paper-ball on the floor.

"I was with her when Jasmine died", Aurora whispered as she turned to face her suspicious friend. "I was with her, I was right there. I heard the scream. She was… _pressed_ up against _me_, and she never left. I would remember. I saw her on the dance-floor and I left you and Jasmine with the drinks. She was with me, all the time."

Esme looked down at her feet and then back up at her friend. "Yes, but then Jasmine went outside because she got a call. Maybe Minardi staged it to get herself an alibi. Maybe she paid someone, the woman has money! Listen to yourself; if anyone asked, she'd be able to say she was with you."

"No, there wasn't time!" Aurora shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls, feeling like she was only ten seconds away from going mad from all the information and memories swirling in her brain. "There wasn't time…" She sat down on one of the desks, staring at the papers on the floor. Those sharp, thin pieces that had suddenly ripped a hole straight through her ability to trust. That was exactly what she felt like; like someone had abused her trust, even though she couldn't understand what had happened.

"I don't think you should go back there", Esme said carefully, walking up to Aurora. "I think you should come and sleep at my place, just for tonight. So that you could think things over. Then tomorrow, you can ask her. If you want."

"Oh, well that's exactly why Phillip put you up to this", Aurora whispered, forcefully getting up and snatching the papers up from the floor. She quickly tucked them inside her gym-bag, not bothering to look at her friend. Aurora knew this wasn't Esme's fault; in reality she had nothing to do with it, but at this very moment she was furious with her. "He wants me to stay away from her, no matter what it takes. You know, I thought you were _my_ friend."

"Aurora", Esme snapped, becoming angered herself. "I am _your_ friend, and that's exactly why I'm telling you this. You're having an illicit affair _and_ you're living with this woman! If I have to keep my mouth shut about something that big, you better believe I have the right to tell you what I know, but that does not mean I'm on Phillip's side. You know me."

Aurora shook her head, refusing to listen to anything Esme had to say. "I need to deal with this. I need to be by myself, I can't fucking think straight."

"Sweetie", Esme began, softening a bit, but she shut her mouth as she saw the spiteful wrath in Aurora's sapphire orbs. She knew it was her she was mad at. Nodding, she backed away, giving Aurora the room she needed. "Just, make sure you're not alone with her. All right, Rores? Please, promise me?"

Throwing her backpack over her shoulder and carrying her gym-bag in the other hand, she shot a last glance at Esme, then strode towards the door and unlocked it, disappearing into the sea of students and noise in the hallway, leaving Esme all alone and helpless with nothing but guilt over what she'd been forced to do to make sure nothing would jeopardize the life of her dearest friend. Sighing, she ran her fingers through her hair and hoped Aurora was smart enough to wait for answers.

* * *

Gazing out the raindrop-covered window of the cab, Aurora felt like she'd been beaten. After kicking and screaming at the bag by the boxing-ring for the last two hours, she felt utterly exhausted. She'd let the warm water in the shower cascade down her body, hoping it would wash away every last piece of sadness and hurt she harbored in her heart. Sadly, it had not, and as she'd turned the tap she'd felt the cool air hit her like a knife in her chest, over and over again.

Sighing, she opened her gym-bag, searching for the print-outs that had changed everything. She unwrinkled them, and then took a couple of deep breaths before brushing her fingers over Maleficent's face. Even though the picture had been copied, there were no traces of any kind of fear or compliance in her eyes; the print-out was black and white, but Aurora knew her emerald eyes were burning like fire even though she couldn't see their colour.

Wrinkling the papers once more, Aurora threw them back into the bag and clenched her jaw, desperate not to start crying in the company of the cabdriver even though her eyes felt like they were on fire. She was only a couple of minutes away from Maleficent's apartment; she could tell by the streetlights. Her heart was thumping in her chest like never before when she imagined what she'd say and how she'd even bring it all up. To be perfectly honest with herself, she wasn't even sure she would be able to bring it up, out of fear of what Maleficent might reveal… or do.

The cab stopped violently and nearly threw Aurora out of her seat. Swearing, she gave the cab-driver a twenty and got out of the car, heavy rain washing over her immediately. Covering her head with her backpack, she ran towards the stairs while searching for her keys. As the cab speeded off she stopped to watch it disappear around the corner. She was alone, now.

Climbing four floors of steps had never felt so heavy. She felt like her lungs were breathing acid. When she finally reached the metal-coloured door her fingers shook as she inserted the key, deliberately holding her breath to hear what was going on inside, but she couldn't make out anything but soft music. _'Deep breaths, Aurora.'_ She turned the key in the lock.

A scent of something fresh found its way to her nostrils when she walked inside, dumping her wet coat and things by the door. There was a cutting sound, like something sharp hitting wood. _'She must be in the kitchen'_, Aurora thought as she took a quick look in the mirror, then walked past the corner, into full sight.

Maleficent was standing in the kitchen, cutting vegetables by the counter. Her hand stopped and her eyes shot up, burning, when she realized the blonde was standing by the corner, looking at her. Smiling vaguely, she put the knife down and wiped her hands on a towel before walking around the counter. "Hello, Aurora", she whispered when she was only a few feet away. "You're all wet."

'_What?'_ Aurora snapped out of her head, but never broke eye-contact. Maleficent looked sharp and composed, as always - and probably had no idea what Aurora was thinking. She cleared her throat. "Oh, yeah, it's coming down pretty hard. Autumn, you know…"

"Mm", Maleficent pouted, eyeing Aurora up and down. "Come here." She closed the distance between them and opened up her arms, pulling the frozen girl into a warm embrace.

Aurora stiffened in her arms. Maleficent's nose softly nudged against the side of her face and she felt the brunette breathe her in. Slender fingers pressed softly against her lower back, holding her close - really close, not just at an arm's length.

A shiver of panic informed her of its presence in Aurora's chest, and she took a step back, avoiding her lover's eyes. Nervous, she brought her hand up to her ear as Maleficent eyed her with a look of concern.

"Are you all right, Beastie?" she asked softly, tilting her head a bit and bringing her hand up to brush Aurora's clothed shoulder.

Biting back a series of words that needed to be said, Aurora nodded and looked down at her toes. "Yeah, I'm just beat. I'm going to go and throw my clothes in the wash."

But before Aurora got the chance to pass her, Maleficent grabbed her by the wrist, stopping her.

"The roses in the living room are for you", she smiled shyly, shrugging her shoulders. "I, um… I wanted to…" Her cheeks blushed a bit and she sighed as the blonde stared at her. "They reminded me of _you_."

If the inner voice in Aurora's head hadn't been screaming for the girl to keep her distance until she knew the truth, she would have fallen in love with her all over again. Her eyes travelled to the living-room, and there, resting on the glass-table by the couch, was a see-through vase with two crimson roses. Even from the kitchen, Aurora could see that they were flawless, as red as the blood that ran inside her veins.

"Do you not like them?" Maleficent asked carefully when the blonde stayed silent.

"No, I, they're lovely", Aurora stuttered, forcing a smile when she looked back at Maleficent, who still looked utterly concerned. One of her brows was slightly raised and her jaw tight, as if she was constantly thinking, which she probably was. Aurora bit her lip. "Thank you, it's very sweet of you", she whispered and turned back towards the door to empty her gym-bag of all the sweaty clothes.

Maleficent watched the girl go, uncertain whether or not she should push it. The bright and shiny light that was her lover had suddenly become a shade darker. She'd seen Aurora upset before, but not like this; usually Maleficent's presence was enough to calm the girl. Needless to say, something had happened - something Aurora had no wish to share, yet. She hoped her silence might give Aurora the space she needed to then come forward and share her sorrow, so she returned behind the counter to continue chopping.

In the bathroom, Aurora leaned on the sink and stared at herself in the mirror. For the first time in a very long time, she actually felt afraid. But that wasn't the only thing boiling inside of her; she felt angry. Angry with herself for not asking about Maleficent's past, angry with Esme for throwing all of this in front of her when things had been calm for once, but finally, she was angry with Maleficent; why on earth had she not told something this big up straight, if she didn't need to hide it?

Blue orbs filled with mixed emotions stared back at her in the mirror as she blew her nose and threw some cold water on her face. As the drops ran from her eyebrow to her cheek, she imagined it was how she'd look if the newspaper-article turned out to have some truth in it; tear-eyed, crushed. She needed to know.

Aurora walked back out, gathering herself and forcing herself to get a grip. Maleficent was chopping up tomatoes and cucumber into a bowl with salad and red onions. She kindly smiled at the girl between chops, throwing her a glance every now and then as Aurora sat down on the opposite side of the counter. Aurora intently followed what she was doing; first roses, now cooking. Why was she suddenly being so nice?

"I ran into your friend today", Maleficent said as the knife sunk into the red, squishy vegetables. "The _basket case_, Esmeralda. She was in the library, so I thought I'd exchange a few words." She picked up a slice of tomato and gently bit down, tasting its sweetness. "But for some reason, the girl seemed absolutely petrified in my company. Quite strange, as I've understood she's the wild one."

"Were you?" Aurora blurted out before she realized she'd opened her mouth.

Maleficent continued chopping but met her gaze. "Was I _what_?"

Aurora swallowed and held the woman's gaze, emerald a shade brighter than usual. "Were you the wild one, when you were in your twenties?"

Maleficent sighed and shook her head, eyes returning to the task at hand. "No. Julianne was the wild child. I was the responsible one. First-born, I think it's the reason why I was always so protective, and Jules felt she could do anything since she had me always making sure she got home." An honest smile covered her mouth. "She was so much trouble, my sister. You can't imagine the countless times I carried her home from clubs and parties."

"Haven't you ever done anything bad?" Aurora continued, still not sure how far she was prepared to go.

Maleficent smiled, shooting a glance at the girl. "I trashed a wall together with my sister once. We're both very artistic. Well, she was. Once, we sprayed one of those old tube-stations with all of these bright, neon colours. Our mother turned us in. It took us ages to get it clean again." She mixed all the vegetables in the bowl with her fingers, and then washed her hands quickly before turning towards the refrigerator, taking out two slices of meat. "I do hope you like _souvlaki_. I'm going to put some vegetables in the oven to go with the meat, if it's all right?"

"Sure", Aurora mumbled, fidgeting where she sat. Maleficent didn't cook, she'd said so herself. As Aurora studied the woman's face, her lover felt like a completely different person. "So… You've never been, like… Arrested?"

Maleficent placed the raw meat on the cutting-board before her and picked up the knife. Her gaze slowly moved from the red chunks to Aurora's pale face and her eyes narrowed. "_No_." Her index-finger caressed the top of the blade before she sliced the meat in half. "Why do you ask such a thing?"

_'No'_. There it was; the great and terrible lie, right to her face with no hints of guilt, whatsoever. Holding her breath, Aurora's eyes fell to the knife in the brunette's hand. It slid through the meat ever so easily, its sharp blade cutting it without a sound. Something flashed before Aurora's eyes when Maleficent squeezed the meat and some of its clear blood dripped onto the cutting-board.

_Everything that was left of Jasmine's beautiful face stared lifelessly up at the black sky, blood and shattered bone covering the side of her head on the dirty ground. Maleficent began wiping some of her hair out of her face in order to clear her mouth. As she inserted her fingers and squeezed Jasmine's nostrils shut, she blew with all of her might into the girl's mouth. Surges of gore splashed right on her, shooting through cuts in Jasmine's blood-washed shirt. "Dear God, he's stabbed her right through", she whispered, turning to look at Aurora, who sat on her knees with Jasmine's dirty feet in her lap, caressing them, as if it would bring the girl back to consciousness. _

Maleficent sliced another piece, the blade so sharp it passed through like a pen drawing on paper. The tips of her fingers were red.

_There were cutting wounds on Jasmine's chest, each one surrounded by pools of blood oozing out of her, turning her white shirt into a shade of dark brown. Through the tears and sobs, Aurora managed to distinguish a pattern in the wounds as Maleficent kept searching for a pulse; three in the lower abdomen, two in each lung. _

Maleficent flipped the knife in her hand twice, its course forming a sharp circle, and as she grabbed it, her fingers slid around the handle perfectly without cutting herself, not even once. And at once, Aurora had gotten up from her chair and surged towards the hall, grabbing her bag and sliding her feet into her converses. She heard Maleficent stop cutting, and then there were footsteps on the hardware floor.

"Aurora?" she asked from the kitchen as she walked after the girl. "Where are you going?"

Aurora grabbed her soaked jacket and opened the door without looking at the woman.

"Aurora?" Maleficent asked again, more sharply this time as she saw the girl standing by the door, her hand on the handle.

"I forgot something at school", Aurora mumbled under her breath. Before Maleficent had reached her or even gotten the chance to make any objections, she had slammed the door behind her and disappeared out into the stairway.

With nothing but the slow beat of the music echoing through the open apartment, Maleficent stared at the door for a few seconds before walking to her bedroom to get her phone. She slid the screen open and chose Aurora out of her contacts as unease gripped her throat, unable to understand what just had happened. The girl she'd gotten to know did _not_ act like this, ever.

She brought the phone up to her ear and listened to the ringing tone. After seven beeps, she heard the happy sound of Aurora's voice, telling her to leave a message. Frustrated, she hung up the phone and threw it on the bed, then turned around and looked at the bedroom from wall to wall, as if she was going to find the answer to Aurora's strange behavior.

When she returned to the kitchen, the anxiousness in her chest had grown even more. Her breaths became uneven and she began rubbing her fingers together, going through her whole day in detail. Could Aurora have seen her with Stefan and thought there was something going on? Closing her eyes, Maleficent visualized the parking space outside of campus.

_Dull sky, multi-coloured leaves in the air, small pools of water on the ground, corns of sand beneath her heels. Blue, black, silver and white cars in the parking space. Students from Diaval's courses had passed a few yards away. A still-burning cigarette on the ground. Laughter from a couple of brunettes on the right side of her line of sight. Black, brown, red, but nothing blonde. No Aurora. _

Exhaling in frustration, she looked around the living room when her eyes found the door and Aurora's gym-bag, half-open on the floor next to all of Maleficent's shoes. She hesitated, but only for five seconds, then walked to the bag and bent down.

Aurora had indeed thrown all of her sweaty clothes in the wash without putting the machine on, but several things were left in her bag; her gym-shoes, her Everlast boxing-gloves and some washcloths together with a small bottle of Redken's shampoo and conditioner. As Maleficent wrapped her hand around the used washcloths, figuring she'd throw them into the trash, she found a couple of wrinkled, white papers underneath. Frowning, she took them out of the bag and flattened them.

Shivers of ice covered her body, from her arms to her toes, making her gasp out loud as she saw what she was holding. Not once had she imagined she'd again have to see her own face in the paper. It had been a long time since she'd seen this particular edition of _The Daily Telegraph_, but it looked exactly like she remembered. Her lower lip began trembling as she started reading, in order to understand how much about the incident Aurora had learnt by now.

_'MEMBER OF CARDIFF-FACULTY ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND'_

The headline made her stomach flip and she felt the urge to rip it all in half.

_'The whole community of Cardiff held its breath as the Scotland Yard arrested a member of the university faculty, Maleficent Stefania Minardi (middle), for the alleged murder of Georgina Lynn Lawrence. The police force reported the murder of the human-rights-activist, 29, on Monday as they issued an arrest for Minardi, 32.' _

A silent cry escaped her mouth as she felt tightness in the back of her head; a headache exploded, like it was a bullet penetrating her brain. It all came back to her in the blink of an eye; _blood splattered on the floor, the smell of sweat and death. Heavy, shaking footsteps on wooden floors, slowing down as they walked further towards the sight that would burn itself onto the corneas and become an eternal memory, indestructible_.

Her nostrils flared as she fought the urge to actually let tears fall. Swallowing, she continued reading as her heartbeat quickened by every word she took in.

_'The police force refused to give out any details concerning the cause of death, but an insider in the pathology-unit has reported multiple stab-wounds in both the chest and abdomen, making this murder a vicious, brutal slaughtering. Sources confirm Lawrence and Minardi had registered their relationship, officially being an item for three years. Sources also confirm Minardi was witnessed running from the scene of the crime. The now accused teacher also refused to comment as reporters were present at the time of the arrest. Onlookers described Minardi as 'calm', 'emotionless' and 'cold' as the officers escorted her into the car.'_

The papers fell from her hands and she slid down the wall onto floor, curling up into a ball. As if her heart had been a sealed box of revelations, it was now spilled open and everything simply poured out, drowning her. Sorrow greater than she'd felt in over a year pulled her down with it as she wrapped her shaking arms around her knees and pulled them to her chest, sobbing as she realized that instead of Aurora asking her what had happened, she'd _assumed_ it to be true and – finally - out of _fear_, run away from her. Aurora; the girl she'd finally let into her life, certain she wouldn't get her heart broken this time. Now, her heart no longer beat in rhythm with the music. It simply pumped blood into the different parts of her aching body, keeping her from the sweet release that could take her away from the present time.

* * *

**_A/N: Don't hate me, I'm just letting you guys get an insight into the complex universe that is my brain. Humble thanks for all the reviews you guys left me, I'm hoping I'll get some good comments about the chapter above and where it might be going. Over & out, D._**


	19. Apple

_**A/N: Very much thanks for all the reviews and PMs you guys left me! Now, even though this is an AU, I'd like to stay as true to the characters as possible: In the previous chapter, Aurora storms off because she felt betrayed. I chose this as a parallel to the actual movie, where Aurora runs away from Maleficent without understanding the motive behind the curse, due to her innocence and interpretation of her world (where everything tends to be black and white). So, I'm not trying to make Malora into an angsty, sad mess. I just wanted to stay true to some of the developments in the film! I hope this chapter cheers everyone up a bit! xx – D. **_

* * *

The nervousness Aurora had felt when she'd been summoned into Maleficent's office a couple of months back was nothing compared to the anxiety she felt as her fingers tapped against her desk in the great lecture hall. Matteo Gaggia kept glancing at her, clearly annoyed by the irregular rhythm her fingers were composing, but she was completely unaware. It was already four past twelve; four minutes of holding her breath.

Last night, she'd walked all the way back to campus through the pouring rain. She'd stopped several times, contemplating whether or not she should turn back and go and sort everything out, once and for all. As soon as she'd seen Maleficent's name on the screen of her phone, she'd begun feeling guilty instead of angry and betrayed, but still, she hadn't been able to respond. About twenty minutes later, she'd arrived at Esme's apartment, freezing from the wind and the cold rain. Luckily, her friend hadn't held her earlier behavior against her, and out of kindness she'd even made her some hot chocolate to prevent her from catching a cold.

To Aurora's surprise, Esme had let her stay in complete silence; they hadn't uttered a single word about the earlier events of the day, as she seemed to understand the turmoil inside Aurora's heart. She'd changed the sheets of her bed and lent Aurora some woolen socks to put on her feet. They'd gone to bed together, Esme resting her arm loosely around Aurora's waist, comforting her in complete stillness. The blonde had felt grateful beyond measure, and had, eventually, sometime during the night, fallen into a slumber, oblivious to her phone lighting up from a received text message.

As she sat in the classroom, eyes alternating between the clock above the board and the white double-doors, she took her phone out of her pocket. Sliding the screen open and touching the white-green icon in the upper right corner, the most recent, and only, message from Maleficent appeared.

'_Aurora, it's Maleficent. I do not blame you for leaving. You had every right to. But I hope you'll give me the chance to explain myself. Please understand, I tried to protect you. You matter, more than you know. I'll see you tomorrow. Good night.' _

It was obvious that Maleficent had gone through her things and found the printed article that Esme had revealed to her, but she wasn't angry; truth be told, she would've felt even more hurt if Maleficent hadn't tried to find out what had caused her strange behavior. Exhaling in frustration and incredibly tired from feeling everything, love _and_ anger, all at once, she pressed her eyes shut the second the double-doors to the classroom opened and the silence was broken by the sound of clicking heels on the floor. Aurora's heart skipped a beat for every step her teacher took, until the steps stopped, and she finally opened her eyes.

Maleficent was dressed all in black; a tailored, tight skirt accompanied by leather boots and a skintight dress-shirt with a couple of buttons open. Around her neck, she wore a dashing silver neckless that matched the small buds in her ears. And for the first time in a long time in class, she wore her black-rimmed glasses as well. Aurora knew she only wore them when she had something important to read that demanded all of her attention. For a second, Aurora wondered if she now wore them in order to hide her teary eyes, but she mentally shook her head; Maleficent was not the crying type. _That_ had become blatantly clear.

"Buongiorno", she said indifferently, her voice a bit more raspy than usual, supporting Aurora's conclusion that she was not all right, after all. Her gaze stayed on the floor as she walked to her desk and slammed her bag on top of it. "Today, we'll be writing. All of you should by now have read the first three chapters of Dante's _Divina Commedia_. If you have not, you may do so before beginning with the worksheets I'll be handing out. I need you to complete them before leaving for the day. When you're done, raise your hand and I'll come to collect your assignments. If you have any questions during, ask for me. I will be here to assist you. That's all."

Aurora's heart was beating so hard she barely heard what her teacher was saying, but what she did hear was enough for her to decide that Maleficent had rehearsed her speech; she sounded like she was speaking from a manuscript. Aurora focused her eyes on Maleficent's lips which tended to display what mood she was in. Now, though, she was unreadable. Her slender fingers wrapped around a bunch of papers and pressed them to her chest as she began her walkabout in the classroom, placing one paper on each student's desk while listening to their sighs and moans of frustration. Not a muscle moved on her face. She obviously didn't care that everyone pretty much hated her right now because she was known for always letting everyone learn by _speaking_. Maleficent's classes had a reputation of being fun and demanding, and since they already had so many essays and assignments from the other courses, the Italian-lessons had become a bit of a break from academia.

As usual, Gaggia blushed as the beauty approached them, and her eyes lingered on the boy's red cheeks for a couple of seconds before looking up to meet Aurora's gaze, and then, finally, Maleficent's face formed an expression; _regret_. Her eyebrows twitched slightly and her nostrils flared as she breathed in sharply, Aurora's crystal-blue eyes meeting her blazing green ones. When she gave Aurora her paper, her fingers stayed on it for a few moments, like she was expecting the girl to reach out and touch her. But images of that same woman wearing handcuffs with that same indifferent look on her face appeared before Aurora, and she quickly looked down, deciding now was not the time. She heard a soft sigh escape her teacher's throat before her heels began clicking again as she walked back to her own desk in front of the others.

Like she'd promised, Maleficent assisted; during the following forty-five minutes she slowly wandered around the room, chin tilted down as she examined the various students' responses on their worksheets. Every now and then, she stopped and mumbled something, or then she bent down and quietly judged what she was reading, peering over the black rim of her glasses. And every time her eyes moved in Aurora's direction, the blonde quickly turned her head, pretending she was lost in the translations before her.

Aurora hadn't decided whether or not she wanted Maleficent to come to her when the sound of the clicking heels suddenly stopped behind her, and she held her breath. In the corner of her eye, she saw her teacher bend down a bit to examine the blonde's handwriting. Aurora also noticed that Gaggia was only _pretending_ to write; he was actually listening to them, but turned away the minute he realized that Aurora understood what he was up to.

"Do you need any help?" Maleficent whispered, hovering just above Aurora's right ear.

"No, thank you", she replied without looking up, tapping her pencil onto the worksheet.

Maleficent sighed and shot a look over her shoulder to see if everyone was still focusing on their assignments. "You must know, I did not do what you believe I did", she whispered. Her breath made a couple of blonde strands around Aurora's face move a bit. "I sent you a text message and I know you've read it. I wish you'd listen to me."

Aurora squeezed her pencil and shut her eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths when the older woman's captivating perfume reached her nostrils. The same scent made her travel back in time to the first morning she'd woken up beside her, happy; she'd left the brunette in bed and tiptoed into the kitchen to make her the most wonderful breakfast, to show that she found joy in making her smile. Breakfast had led to kisses, kisses had led to warm embraces and fingernails fiercely scraping over skin, demanding and wanting more…

"Ignoring me isn't going to sort anything out", Maleficent said and tilted her chin further down to make it look like she was studying Aurora's answers. "I was set up. You know so. You had every right to storm off, but please, Aurora, hear me out."

"I _never_ said I believed you did anything", Aurora replied, drawing a cloud and some raindrops onto her worksheet. "It's not your past that I'm upset about. I'm upset you didn't trust me enough to tell me."

Maleficent exhaled and quickly brushed her hand over Aurora's, which was still squeezing the pencil. "I understand. And I missed you terribly when you left, Aurora. _Please_."

Aurora's breath hitched in her throat when she realized the older woman was actually _begging_ for her to listen. This was one of those moments she'd sometimes fantasized about; Maleficent begging her. But it didn't feel like she'd expected; there was no victorious feeling combined with the knowledge that their roles had now been reversed and she was the one calling the shots. Now, there was only disbelief and resentment, and she couldn't even herself understand why she was so upset that someone she'd only known for less than half a year hadn't told her everything about her past. Maybe it was because the reality of things contradicted her mental image of her lover; the mental image that had been flawless.

She shrugged her shoulders and finally turned her head so that she could gaze into the brunette's green eyes. As she did so, there was a flicker of hope in the emerald orbs and Maleficent's lips parted, waiting.

"Look", Aurora whispered, her eyes quickly darting to the other students and back. "I'm not saying I don't believe you. But, you didn't tell me about this, and then suddenly, similar things start happening here the minute you arrive. Of course it crossed my mind, and that has nothing to do with how I feel about you. There's just too much. I find it hard to be a coincidence, and I freaked out, okay?"

Maleficent suddenly straightened her back and stared at the girl in disbelief. "You think _I_ have something to do with these girls?"

Aurora chose not to reply. She couldn't bear looking at the woman, for she knew she'd see too much anger and hurt in her eyes. Esme's words from yesterday rang in her ears and no matter how much she told herself that it all had to be some kind of mistake, visions of Jasmine in a pile of blood kept her from agreeing to simply believing everything that Maleficent had to say. She couldn't deny that she'd only known the woman for a short while; a short while, during which she'd shared _almost_ nothing about herself. With the horrid revelation of her past, Aurora had slowly began understanding why she was so private and why Sarah had said Maleficent had seen so much death. It was all there, but what was Maleficent's true role in all of this? That was, of course, a question only Maleficent herself could answer, but Aurora wasn't ready for the words that possibly might destroy the mental image she'd created of the woman she'd fallen in love with so deeply.

"Class dismissed", Maleficent commanded from where she stood by the board, bringing Aurora back to reality. She hadn't even realized Maleficent had left her side.

Desks and chairs immediately started moving around and each of the students, including Aurora, got up and returned their signed worksheets to her desk, putting them all in a pile on the far right. Aurora was one of the last ones to walk up to her, but when she put the paper down and raised her chin to look at the brunette, her eyes were not filled with pleading or hurt. Instead, there was a flicker of pure rage, as if flames were licking her pupils. Aurora suddenly remembered why she'd felt a certain fear of Maleficent, before they became lovers. The sight made Aurora's skin crawl and she quickly backed away and hurried towards the door.

When the doors to the lecture hall finally closed and Maleficent was left with her thoughts, the flames in her eyes disappeared and were replaced by salty tears. Sighing, she reached for her phone, not knowing what else to do to ease both hers and Aurora's pain. Dancing around each other was intolerable. She sat down on top of her desk and waited until she heard her brother-in-law's voice.

"_Hello, darling." _

At the sound of Diaval's cheerful voice, Maleficent smiled against her will. "Hello. Where are you?"

"_Oh, you know, heading for the cafeteria, I'm bloody starving. Join me?" _

The invitation was tempting, but she felt no need to socialize with anyone but him. "Would you mind coming by before you start lunching? I'm in D-409."

"_You'll owe me a sandwich." _

This time, she truly smiled. "I'll buy you a steak. See you soon." With that, she ended the call and shot a look at the high windows on her right, knowing Diaval would not be pleased with what she had to ask of him. Still, at some point, she too had to face facts; she couldn't stand being near the girl, and not get to hold her close. As she weighted the different alternatives in her head, she came to the conclusion that there was only one way to handle this if she wanted any chance of getting Aurora to trust her again.

* * *

Hours later, well into the night, towers and buildings covered the violet sky visible through the foggy windows of the cab, covered in raindrops, yet open so that Maleficent was able to hear the undying, beautiful music of car horns blaring in rhythm, busses stopping too fast in red traffic-lights, angry drivers yelling at each other and the eternal, harmonious rumbling of the subway only a few feet beneath the pavement. Leaning back in the leather seat of the cab, flashing lights and pink, neon colours appeared before her eyes wherever she looked. The constant, blinking signs of Broadway-shows and theater-performances, together with empty hearts belonging to women with too much money, shopping bags, take-away coffee and a million steps within a second. Tailored suits and business-portfolios in the hands of men who knew nothing of real life, their laughter echoing through the noise of screeching breaks. She'd already sat in the cab for a good half hour, all the way from Grand Central to the Upper East Side, but she didn't care. She was home.

The cab took a left at the crossing of Park Avenue and East 84th Street and drove another block, and then pulled over at the corner of 84th and Madison Avenue. She gave the cabdriver three ten-dollar-bills, pleased with the ride. Grabbing her bag, she said goodnight and stepped out onto the pavement, the extraordinary scent of the area around Central Park hitting her face like a sweet aroma. As the cab drove off, she stood still with the bag in her hand, eyes closed, simply breathing. Here, in the sleepless city of white noise, she could finally think.

Opening her eyes, her gaze wandered over the architecturally amazing Hummelstown brownstone in front of her; reddish hues and white Victorian windows, five floors of hand-built, beautifully patterned walls, distinguishing it as one of the most well-preserved urban design-buildings in all of the right side of the park. She sat down onto the steps of the stairs, a few orange leaves landing beside her. Smiling, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Awakening the flame, the burning sound of the cigarette's tip made her heart flutter in delight as she breathed in the deadly smoke. She didn't care anymore. No matter what brand or taste or length, cigarettes had, for the past few months, always made her think of herself somewhere, thinking about Aurora Briars.

Inhaling, she wasn't here to find some kind of inner strength, nor was she here to grieve over the girl. She'd done what she'd could, and the rest was up to Aurora. This last day, she'd desperately tried to get rid of the agonizing feeling that a part of the blonde thought she actually had something to do with the horrid events on campus. It raised the question of how the girl had been able to live with her, if she didn't trust her with her life. Surely Maleficent had given Aurora a little more credit than that; yes, she'd expected the girl to be angry over the secrecy, but enough was enough. She was young, without a doubt, but actions and situations leading them up to here had painted the image of Aurora being wise and patient beyond her years. Now, though, she didn't seem like that at all. Nevertheless, it didn't change the way Maleficent felt about her.

She exhaled a large cloud of smoke into the air in front of her nose and mouth before grabbing her bag and getting up, climbing the rest of the stairs. Stopping at the top, she rang the buzzer with _E. Jaillet_ and waited.

"Oui?" The scrambled voice in the buzzer sounded annoyed.

"C'est moi", Maleficent replied calmly.

There was a long silence, followed by a couple of surprised, quick breaths, before the voice spoke again. "Qu'est-ce que tu fais ici?"

"Laisse-moi entrer", Maleficent replied sharply.

Another silence and she was sure she could her fingers tapping onto the buzzer. Then finally, a deep sigh. "Attends, je viendrai." The buzzer clicked, signaling the conversation was over. Maleficent raised her chin and inhaled one last time before killing the cigarette with the heel of her boot. The lights inside the double doors were switched on and she patiently waited until she saw a shadowed figure through the blurry windows of the doors.

Maleficent couldn't help but smirk, biting back a chuckle that needed to escape her lips as the doors opened. In front of her stood a woman in her early thirties with messy, dark-red hair and mesmerizing, heavily-painted blue eyes. As Maleficent's eyes travelled lower, she found that the woman was dressed in black stockings, the edges of her garter belts peaking beneath the hem of red, lacy robe, which had not been closed properly at all.

"Bonsoir, Emmanuelle", Maleficent grinned, biting her lower lip. "Expecting someone?"

The woman raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows and eyed the brunette from head to toe, grinning a bit herself. "Tu me connais", she replied, shrugging her shoulders and lazily running her fingers through her red tresses. "I always enjoy a random visit from my… landlady", she said with a sharp, British accent, looking deep into Maleficent's eyes. "Shame on you for being gone for such a long time", she pouted, teasing her. When Maleficent made no move, but instead began smiling, the redhead groaned playfully and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her into the stairwell and kicking the door shut behind them.

* * *

After gym, Aurora had decided that she needed to go and sort things out. As the hours had gone by, a familiar ache had formed itself in her chest, advising her to get to her lover's apartment as fast as possible. At least, she hoped Maleficent was still her lover, regardless of the fact that this was their very first, real fight. She felt a million times worse than she'd felt when she'd told Phillip it was over between them. Phillip, who she had yet to deal with, for even he deserved a fair share of her anger.

But now, thoughts of anger and doubt had quickly escalated into more anxious ones; what if it was now Maleficent who'd decide if they'd continue the way they'd been? She'd looked so utterly furious in class that Aurora felt almost certain the tables had turned. During her workout, she'd suddenly panicked and realized that everything was upside down. Nervous, she'd contemplated the alternative of Maleficent being so utterly hurt by Aurora's childish way of dealing with things, that she might not forgive _her_ for not trusting her enough. And without trust, all there'd be left would be the intense, physical contact and fireworks whenever their hands touched, but even Aurora knew those things would fade, and then there'd be nothing left but the terrible question of there being any point at all, anymore.

It all felt so stupid now. Of course she'd known that Maleficent was innocent, it had never been about that, even though she'd implicated so in class. No matter what colourful pictures Esme had painted, Maleficent's innocence had somewhere deep down always been a given. Aurora no longer had an excuse; she was twenty-one years old and had absolutely no reason to act so out of line, especially when she knew in her heart that Maleficent had not stabbed and killed six people.

She turned the key in the lock and gently opened Maleficent's front door, the smell of her skin and hair immediately finding its way to Aurora's nose. It smelt like home. Biting back a sob, Aurora entered and switched the lights on, expecting to see piles of broken things and crushed glasses. Instead, she stepped on a couple of envelopes and interior-design magazines in the hallway and quickly stepped to the side, not wanting to get them dirty. The rest of the apartment looked exactly at it had a days ago, when Aurora had stormed out. She untied her shoes and slowly walked through the hall into the huge space of the living-room and the open kitchen. There, on the glass table, in front of the couch they'd made love on, was the vase. The crimson roses had lost most of their colour together with a couple of their leaflets, fallen to the surface of the table.

_Quiet_. Maleficent was not home, and as Aurora turned, she realized a couple of pairs of Maleficent's shoes were gone. That was all she needed to understand, that her lover had left. As she realized she wouldn't get the chance to apologize face to face, her lower lip began trembling.

Blinking away a couple of tears, she continued into the kitchen to get herself a glass of water. He throat felt so dry, and the apartment felt so cold without Maleficent that for a moment, Aurora would've given anything to have her walk out of the bedroom, brown tresses messy from rolling around in bed with hints of sleep still in the corners of her eyes. The silence was all too heavy, and Aurora broke it by turning the tap as water began running into the sink. As she opened the upper right cupboard to get herself a glass, something white caught her attention in the corner of her eye. She turned around and realized there was an envelope on the kitchen counter behind her. Quickly, she filled the glass and turned the tap, then approached the little envelope with her name on it.

With shaking hands, she opened it, revealing a beige letter with the most beautiful calligraphic writing she'd ever laid her eyes upon. Her pulse quickened dramatically as her shaking fingers squeezed the edges of the thin paper, her eyes wandering over its contents.

_Dearest Aurora, _

_I never wanted any harm to come to you, nor did I ever dream these things of my past would come back to destroy my present. What you found is indeed in the past, and to spare you, I chose to remain silent. You've already seen too much, and if I could, I'd take it all away and replace it with nothing but happiness. I feel deeply troubled that you felt like you could not ask for my version of the events, but instead, ran from me, out of fear, I suppose. In order to correct this, I've left you something in the third drawer of the bureau in the bedroom. Read it carefully. Once you have, I hope you will agree to speak with me once I return. I have not gone too far, but this town lacks the ability to give me something I very much need right now: perspective. Reading that article brought back some memories I had hoped would stay in a box, together with most of what I am. Maybe the poetry is that it was you who opened it. _

Aurora took a deep breath and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Beneath Maleficent signature was another paragraph of text, also by her.

_PS: I know you'd wish for me to open up more. I am not good with words, as I'm sure you've noticed. But lack of verbal display does not mean that I do not feel. The following lines are the most accurate description I've found, concerning my affection for you._

Aurora's eyes lowered to the last piece of text, and unconsciously began reading it out loud. It was a poem she recognized, originally written by Tyler Knott Gregson, one of Aurora's favorite writers. "_I sliced myself, broken glass on wet fingertip, and as the red curled around the sink I wondered, almost aloud…_" She swallowed to bite back the sobs of both sorrow and joy that threatened to escape her throat before reading the last line that would make her heart flutter with nothing but love. "_… How on earth you fit inside my veins._"

* * *

_**A/N: There we go. This is a good place to stop for a bit, I think. Have a good Saturday everyone! **_

_Oui?_ – Yes?

_C'est moi._ – It's me.

_Qu'est-ce que tu fais ici?_ – What are you doing here?

_Laisse-moi entrer._ – Let me come in.

_Attends, je viendrai._ – Wait, I'll come.

_Tu me connais._ – You know me.


	20. Home

_**A/N: Many thanks for all the wonderful reviews you guys left me, welcome to all new followers and yay to everyone who favorited, keep it up since this is the beginning of the end, and with every new chapter I become even more self-critical, so do leave your thoughts, you'll have my gratitude. PS. Mal is not having an affair. xx – D. **_

* * *

If the circumstances hadn't been as serious as they were, Aurora would actually have been laughing at Esme's bright red face, which was now covered by her hands. The brunette uttered a painful groan of a mixture of frustration and regret, and earned a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so _embarrassed_", Esme muttered between her teeth. She finally lowered her hands and peeked up at Aurora, who couldn't help but smile vaguely at her friend's complete evaporation.

"Look, you did what you thought was best", Aurora said and patted her on the shoulder. "Or merely, you wanted to help."

After going to Maleficent's apartment and retrieving the note and the contents of the drawer in the bedroom, Aurora had decided that the first person she needed to tell was the one who always had her back, no matter what. Needless to say, as the events had been explained to Esme, the brunette had been overcome with all sorts of emotions, both of relief and of confusion.

Esme leaned backwards into the couch and exhaled a deep breath when the back of her head hit the cushions. "Look, my mind was racing, all right? With Phillip going on and on about how _dangerous_ she is, I just couldn't help but think about it."

"I know", Aurora replied and bit the inside of her cheek, ashamed that she, too, had weighted the possibility of there being any truth in the newspaper-article about her beloved, and eventually taken off. She quickly shook away the thought and let her chest fill itself with the warmth from the words Maleficent had left her. _'How on earth you fit inside my veins? How on earth you fit inside my veins?...'_

"So, what, it was all a mistake?" Esme asked. Her mind wasn't made to import such huge amounts of information all at once.

"I'll read it to you in a minute", Aurora mumbled as she strolled over to the refrigerator to get herself a beer. "I keep thinking I should call her and tell her that I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Esme shouted from the couch.

Aurora paused by the refrigerator and stared at the various photos that Esme had taped onto it. "I didn't give her a chance to explain herself. I should've, we're not kids anymore. She's not angry, but I know she's hurt. I'd just… like to apologize, I guess."

"Where is she, anyway?" Esme asked and rolled onto her stomach with one of the cushions tightly in her arms.

Aurora's eyes found an old picture of her and Esme where both of them were dressed as Disney-princesses, at a birthday party almost ten years ago. "I actually don't know, she didn't say. She said she needed perspective, or space, or whatever… But I don't think she's flown back to London." She smiled at the picture and walked back to her friend, who'd now rolled onto her side.

"I still think this is all just… crazy", Esme whispered and reached her hand out to take a sip of Aurora's beer. "You, her, _this_. I mean, what is it even about her? I know she's like…" Esme stopped for a second to think, "… like, gloriously foreign and has this killer-face, but she seems so cold, doesn't she?"

Aurora smiled at her friend and rolled the bottle between her hands; a bad habit. As she looked down at the emerald-green bottle, her mind travelled to the first time she ever saw Maleficent. "Sometimes you just _know_. I saw her, and she completely captivated me. I can't reach her, ever, but it's all I want to do."

Esme rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but like, she's a woman. Women are _so_ complicated. But she's a whole new level of complicated. I'm actually sure she has her own universe of all kinds of complicated."

Aurora laughed. "I know that very well, my friend."

Esme flipped herself onto her back and propped herself up on both elbows, eyeing Aurora closely. Her friend had a slight blush on her cheeks. "Do I even _want_ to know what you're thinking, Rores?"

Aurora shot a playful glare at her friend, but in reality her mind wasn't recalling any dirty memory; instead, her memories had thrown her back into a late summer afternoon, when her third year had begun.

_As various students and members of the faculty passed Aurora and Esme in the corridor, Aurora felt herself slowly sink into a deeper level of her thoughts that beat the volume of all the noise around her. As Esme went on and on about how she had no idea how she was going to pass social psychology and whatnot, Aurora unconsciously __sought.__ Her slender hands toyed with her strands and her eyes moved in slow-motion from one face to yet another one. _

_When Esme pushed the double doors of the building open, the sunlight hit them like a fresh, warm breeze of summer. As pupils dilated and air filled their lungs, Aurora allowed herself to smile and simply stop, to feel the world around her. Her friend stopped too, with a questioning look on her face, but Aurora shook her head. _

_"Just feel", she whispered, and turned her face back towards the clear, blue sky. _

_As Aurora lowered her gaze, she recognized a familiar figure sitting on the steps with her back to them, just a few feet away. Aurora drew in a quick breath as she felt wildfire surge through her body. She hadn't seen her teacher since she'd run into her in the corridor a few days ago. Her brown tresses looked so thick from where Aurora was standing. _

_Aurora pretended to look at the beautiful, green lawns instead of the brunette. She dressed so well; never too provocative and __always__ elegant. She hadn't even realized Aurora and Esme were standing just a few feet behind her. __Above her__. Aurora swallowed as she realized her teacher was wearing a scoop-neck sweater. Knowing she should look away, she turned her gaze to her bag - until the corner of her eye caught Maleficent leaning backwards, to tilt her face to the sun, inhaling such a deep breath that her chest heaved. _

_Unaware of Esme staring at her, Aurora's eyes traced down Maleficent's front, all the way to the trim of her bra. Without being able to hold it in, Aurora gasped out loud, her hand immediately flying up to her mouth. _

_Maleficent lolled her head all the way back and opened her eyes, then propped herself up on one elbow and peeked at them over her shoulder. "Hello", she said softly, to both of them, smiling. _

_Aurora simply nodded in response and grasped Esme's wrist, pushing her forward down the stairs - past Maleficent, who raised a brow at the girls' surprising behavior. _

_Once they were a good twenty yards away, Aurora slowed down and threw a look over her shoulder. Maleficent had stayed on the steps, supported on her elbows and face covered in bright sunlight. _

_"Rores, you're acting so weird right now, do you know that?" Esme blurted out when she saw Aurora looking back at the steps. _

_Again, she nodded in response, unable to look away. Her cheeks flushed with a deep shade of pink from the aching wish that it would've been __her__ making her teacher lean back and arch her body like that. _

"Earth to Aurora", Esme teased, waving her hand in front of Aurora's oblivious expression. The blonde snapped out of her trance and shrugged her shoulders, smiling sweetly. "Where did you go?"

Aurora rolled a couple of blond strands around her index-finger and took another sip. Happy, she closed her eyes for a second and relished the memory from so many weeks back. "I was just thinking that she and I have come a long way."

Again, Esme rolled her eyes. She was sure that one of these days she was going to vomit from all the sweetness. "Well, when you're done with your Male-mania I want to see that article she left you. Best-friend-responsibility."

"Oh, yeah…" Aurora mumbled, got up and walked towards to door to get her bag. She'd known she'd have to bring it with her to once and for all convince her friend that there was no imminent danger to be worried about. She zipped her bag open and pulled out the brown envelope she'd found in Maleficent's drawer, then walked back to sit on the floor opposite the couch.

"Well, let's hear it", Esme commanded impatiently.

"Well basically it says that since she was the prime suspect, the Scotland Yard didn't really search for anyone else", Aurora began, skimming through the article. "The man who murdered her girlfriend had a personal vendetta against Maleficent, because she and Professor Diaval had helped the Scotland Yard with solving a case that led to the imprisonment of his brother. Apparently, Professor Diaval's wife and daughter would've been the next targets on his hit-list if they hadn't caught him in time."

"What, the police caught him?" Esme asked, confused.

"No, it says here that it was Professor Diaval, his wife and a friend of Maleficent's who actually pieced this together", Aurora explained. "They somehow figured out who was the one after her and tracked him down… And as the police brought him in for questioning, they found that his fingerprints matched the partial ones that were found on the knife that was used as the murder-weapon." Aurora's thoughts trailed off as mental images of Maleficent in handcuffs once again flashed before her eyes. "Maleficent was acquitted before the final verdict and the man responsible was sentenced to sixteen years… Well, he certainly deserved it."

"Jesus", Esme muttered. "Diaval does come in handy, doesn't he?"

"Yup", Aurora replied without looking up. "There's a picture here too, with the three of them."

"Who?" Esme asked and jumped off the couch to sit on the floor next to Aurora. Their eyes locked onto the photograph with Diaval, looking a bit sharper than he did nowadays. He had his arm around a woman, his wife Julianne, who bore a striking resemblance to Maleficent; mahogany, thick hair and fiery eyes together with incredible cheekbones. Next to them was a woman with reddish, wavy hair, clear-blue eyes and a highly confident appearance. Her mouth was curled into a slight smile and she was holding the hand of Diaval's wife.

"Holy shit", Esme blurted out and grabbed the piece of paper to get a closer look at the redhead. "That's Emmanuelle Jaillet."

"I know", Aurora replied and frowned. "It says so underneath the picture, look: _Professor Harry Diaval, left, his wife and Minardi's younger sister Julianne Diaval, middle, and Emmanuelle Jaillet, close friend of the family, right_."

"Dammit, Aurora, didn't you read the bulletin Brigham sent last week?" Esme whispered, her eyes still locked on the photograph.

Aurora tilted her head to the side. "I never read my e-mail, Esme, you know that."

"Well, you should", Esme mumbled and turned her head to look at her friend. "This redhead is our new teacher."

* * *

In the warm comfort of the apartment she'd lived in for several years, Maleficent laid sprawled out on the soft, white couch with her calves on top of the back of it. The home didn't smell the same anymore, obviously due to the scent its newest tenant had brought with her, but the atmosphere had remained welcoming and comfy, and happy at heart, she felt at home; she'd inherited the Upper East Side-apartment when her mother had died, and she had stayed there for a while after her former girlfriend's death. It was a huge, airy space painted in nothing but white and since it was the top floor, the ceilings lowered gradually towards the Victorian windows.

When the soft sound of bare feet padding on the floor reached her ears, she opened her eyes, only to be met by Emmanuelle's ocean blue ones. She'd never realized just how much her friend's eyes bore the same deep, indigo coloring as Aurora's. Her heart skipped a beat when her thoughts travelled to the young blonde.

"Wine?" Emmanuelle asked softly, holding out a glass. She grinned innocently at Maleficent's confused expression, and finally forced the glass into her hand. "You look like shit, sweetheart. All that fresh air is clearly making you age."

"Oh, do shut up", Maleficent muttered and swung her feet from the back of the couch to the floor, sitting up. Knowing she looked younger than her years, she took a sip of the red wine she'd been given, and reluctantly admitted to herself that it tasted rather good.

Emmanuelle sighed and sat down next to Maleficent, not bothering to cover herself up even though her robe rode even higher when she crossed her legs. The brunette's eyes quickly darted down to her stockings, and then back up to the wine.

"I don't mind you looking", Emmanuelle whispered, raising one of her brows. In return, she got a rather rough kick from Maleficent, who snorted in reply.

"Why are you always dressed like a sodding nymphomaniac when I come around?" she asked, pointing at the redhead's robe and stockings. She wasn't uncomfortable; she knew what a little spirit her friend was. She simply preferred to stay out of it as well as she could.

"I was actually expecting someone", Emmanuelle replied, looking at her glass. "I had no idea it was you by the door. He called to say he wouldn't make it, but I thought he'd changed his mind. _Coward_."

"Smart man", Maleficent whispered, taking another sip. Now it was she, who earned a kick. "Ta", she hissed, glaring at her friend. "Well you can't argue with me, you do have a reputation."

"As _what?_" Emmanuelle laughed, genuinely. She leaned a bit closer to her friend and traced her fingernail over Maleficent's thigh. "As an overly-intelligent and super-attractive girl next door?"

Maleficent grabbed her hand and raised it from her thigh. "As an unrelenting man-eater. So, I do not blame the poor chap for figuring out what's best for him."

"Mm, you might be right", Emmanuelle mumbled in return. "But, you didn't travel all this way just to hear about who I've been rolling in the sack with, now, did you? What's really going on, Maleficent?"

Maleficent stared at _her_ overly-full bookcase opposite them. She'd left most of her literature here, and now actually felt the urge to go through some of the shelves, to see what lost treasures she'd find amongst all of the vividly colored covers. "Are you excited about Dartmouth?" she asked, deliberately avoiding the subject of Aurora, although she knew they'd have to talk about her sooner or later.

"Excited, suspicious, whatnot", Emmanuelle replied, tracing the edge of her glass with the same finger she'd touched Maleficent with. "Do not change the subject. You know I hate that. What did that little angel of yours do to make you go all _exodus_ on everyone?"

Maleficent opened her mouth to say something, then shut it, and then opened it again, absolutely struck. "How do you even know that there's someone?"

"Harry called", Emmanuelle replied with a tiny smirk. Her words earned her a frustrated sigh from Maleficent.

"He had no right to do that", she gritted between her teeth, knowing she'd have to give Diaval one hell of a rant when she'd return to Hanover.

"Oh, relax, it's me", Emmanuelle laughed and brushed her free hand through her hair. "Seriously, though. What did she do?"

"Aurora", Maleficent said softly before turning to look at her friend. "Her name is Aurora."

"Ah." Emmanuelle bit the inside of her cheek at the sound of Maleficent pronouncing her love's name. "And what did little precious Aurora do?"

Maleficent quickly threw back the rest of her wine, and then leaned back into the couch. "Oh, you know… Someone told her I was arrested for slaughtering my former girlfriend and that same someone forgot to tell her that I was innocent. So, she bought the whole thing and I have no idea whether or not she knows what actually happened. I left her a note, but I don't know if she's found it."

"Ouch", Emmanuelle hissed, grimacing.

"Yes", Maleficent agreed. She bit her lower lip, then quietly whispered: "Harry didn't happen to mention that Aurora is a _student_ of mine, did he?"

If Emmanuelle hadn't put her glass down on the table in front of the couch, she most likely would've dropped it and spilled the wine straight onto her lap. She turned her head with the most horrified look on her face and opened her mouth several times but no sound came out.

"Hm, didn't think so", Maleficent muttered.

Emmanuelle finally managed to form a coherent sentence. "Are you out of your bloody mind?"

"I might be", Maleficent replied, shrugging her shoulders. "A part of me thinks I'm not."

"Okay, just hold on", Emmanuelle said and raised one of her hands. "_I'm_ the nymphomaniac? _Me?_ Oh please, you're as hypocritical as one can possible get."

Maleficent gave her friend one of her most confident smiles. The wine made her cheeks burn. "Want to hear something funny?"

"Always", Emmanuelle replied, still stunned by Maleficent's confession.

"I wrote her a poem."

There was a good long silence until both women burst out into laughter. Emmanuelle's hand flew down to hold onto her stomach and Maleficent shamelessly wiped a couple of tears away from the corners of her eyes.

"God", Emmanuelle whispered when she finally calmed down and managed to catch her breath. "_You're in love_."

Maleficent bit her lower lip once more and peeked at her friend from underneath her thick lashes. "Would that be so bad?"

"Well, no", Emmanuelle replied, tilting her head to the side. "Frowned upon, illegal and against your path written in the stars, not to mention un-fucking-believable… But _bad_, no."

"Yes, well…" Maleficent began, looking at her empty glass. "Since I don't know whether she's forgiven me or not for not telling her about Georgina… I thought I'd come out here and clear my head. Plus, I figured you need help moving your things on Sunday."

"That makes perfect sense", Emmanuelle stated sarcastically. "New York is the only place on earth where one can find silence."

"The traffic noises calm me down", Maleficent said softly, shooting a glance at the open windows. The curtains were slowly swaying in the wind, throwing different shadows over the white wooden floor. "Do you mind if we continue tomorrow, dear? I'm awfully tired." Her eyes followed every pattern the shadows created, captivated by the familiarity. Somewhere deep inside, she'd missed this place.

"Why, no", Emmanuelle replied and got up. "It's past midnight anyway, and I doubt I'll be getting anyone to warm me up tonight. Unless…" Her eyes lingered on Maleficent's neck.

"Don't even _think_ about it", Maleficent grinned, never amazed by her friend's cockiness. For as long as they'd known each other, Emmanuelle had taken great pleasure in testing Maleficent's boundaries, even though both of them knew that nothing would ever go beyond teasing and playing games. Now, though, Maleficent's teasing was reserved for someone else; a certain someone she sincerely hoped had found her note, so that they could start over.

* * *

The last rays of the sun had settled over Boston hours ago, and by now, the starry sky had become a shade of deep, dark blue, with blinking lights of airplanes leaving traces of shooting stars across it. Through the thick but almost invisible glass of skyscraper-windows, Stefan Briars stared at the world beneath him, cigarette in his hand.

He knew neither time nor rhythm. He'd built his life solely around two things; his family - what now was left of it - and his empire. Drawing in a breath of smoke, it might as well have been six o'clock in the morning; he was wide awake, waiting.

Finally, there was a knock on the door to his office, then the cracking sound of the door being opened. He didn't bother turning around; he knew who it was. Behind him, a man dressed completely in black, in a slick jacket and tailored pants, entered and slowly walked towards the desk separating him and his boss.

"Sir", the man said softly and quickly brushed his forehead with the back of his hand. "I've got a delivery for you."

"Yes, leave it on the desk", Stefan replied calmly, still looking at the city lights. He heard the man place something down, but there were no footsteps. "Where'd she go?"

The man cleared his throat. "New York, sir. She's staying with a friend."

"Mm", Stefan replied as his eyes traced one of the blinking signs on the building across from his office. "And my daughter?"

"She's also staying with a friend."

Stefan inhaled again slowly. His cigarette had almost burnt out. "And our target?"

"He's also still in place, sir", the man replied and looked down at his polished shoes.

"Good", Stefan replied and finally turned around to face his employee. He put the cigarette out into the ashtray on his desk and noticed how the man before him followed his every move with his clear-blue eyes.

"Mr. Briars", he began, uncertain. There was a tremor in his voice. "What would you have me do now?"

Stefan smiled and brushed his hand through his hair whilst exhaling slowly. "As everything seems to be right on track, I suppose all you can do is co-ordinate with Jerry and Aaron. You call me the minute one of them moves, got it?"

He nodded quickly, then glared at the sky behind his boss' back. "It's a beautiful night, sir."

Stefan glared over his shoulder. "Yes, it is. The calm before the storm."

The man frowned, uncertain whether or not he should ask what his boss meant by that, but he stopped himself at the very last minute, realizing it was none of his business, and he probably wouldn't have gotten an answer anyway. He slowly began backing towards the door when Stefan stopped him.

"What the hell is this?" he asked, pointing at the pile of _post-its _the man had placed upon the envelope he'd put on the desk.

He cleared his throat once more, his hand unconsciously shooting up to his black tie. "It's, uh, for your daughter, sir. Some of the photographs are rather… explicit. I just thought – "

"Thank you, Walter", Stefan cut in, signaling it was time for him to leave. And the message was very well understood; the man immediately backed towards the door, then quickly closed it behind him with a slam much louder than he'd intended.

Alone again, Stefan pulled out his chair and sat down in front of his desk, his back to the rest of the city. Before opening the envelope he'd received, he lit another cigarette and brought it to his lips, preparing himself for what was about to come. Something foreign flickered in his chest; excitement.

Slowly, he reached for the envelope and opened it with one swift movement. His fingers dipped inside and pulled out a series of photographs, taken with a wide-lensed, 300mm objective, giving the photographs rather good quality. Sighing, his heart sank as his eyes swept over the first one.

The photograph had clearly been taken through a window; there was a certain blurriness to the edges. In the middle of the photograph was a woman with wild mahogany hair. Her hands were resting on the hem of her top, as if she was about to pull it off over her head. Even though the photograph's sharpness wasn't the highest quality, he managed to make out the daring, hungry, sensual look on the woman's face.

Clenching his jaw, Stefan put the photograph down and took a look at the next one. This time, his eyes lingered on the brunette on the white couch, propped up on all fours, her black bra deliciously exposing her cleavage. Her thick, brown hair sprawled out over the left side of her face and rested upon the body of the blonde, barely visible, beneath her. All Stefan managed to make out of his daughter, since the brunette was hovering over her, was the sea of curls and the edges of a shirt.

In the last picture, the woman was alone, sitting on her balcony. Her body was wrapped in a gray, silky robe and her legs were crossed. Between her right index-finger and middle-finger she held a lit cigarette. Her face bore an expression of wonderment, as if she wasn't present, but even though she looked rather innocent where she sat, Stefan knew the wrath and hazard behind the glittering, green eyes. Involuntarily, his right hand came up to touch the woman's blood-red, parted lips, but he quickly pulled his hand away, as if he'd been burnt by the photograph itself.

When he'd gathered himself, he lifted the photograph closer to his face and for the first time since they'd met again outside of his daughter's college, he examined her features closely; from her sharp cheekbones to the perfect shape of her form, all the way down to her slender legs. Groaning, he placed the photograph back down and rolled his chair around.

"Well, well, Maleficent", he whispered as he stared at the city beneath him. "It is indeed the calm _before_ the storm."


	21. Secrecy

**_What a wonderful day of updates! Now, boy are you guys gonna hate someone else more than Phillip *evil grin* Don't sweat it, we're just getting started. Follows, PM's, reviews - I like that shit. Keep 'em coming. (and if you haven't read the new chapter of Peccatum In Carne By CocoMingo, wtf are you waiting for? GO.) xx - D._ **

* * *

The following morning Aurora had quietly come to the conclusion that the time had come to go home and collect to rest of her things, and then either store them at Esme's or Maleficent's apartment. Her friend was still sleeping when she tiptoed out of the apartment, the borrowed car-keys in her pocket. She closed the door quietly, leaving Esme snoring all by herself.

She dropped by Starbucks to get herself a hot cappuccino before she continued the short drive to the apartment that originally had been rented to her and Phillip, together. Anxiety settled itself in her lower stomach as she pulled into the driveway and gazed at the newly-built complexes through the windshield. It was Saturday morning, which meant Phillip usually went jogging around nine or ten. Fingers crossed, she hoped he wouldn't be home so that she'd be able to pack in peace, and just, _maybe_, restrain herself from having a well-deserved go at him.

Unfortunately, luck wasn't on her side this morning, either. When she pushed the front-door open, she was greeted by loud rock-music, coming from the living-room. Taking a deep breath, she knocked a couple of times on the already open door to make her presence known. The music immediately quieted down, and then there were slow, heavy steps.

"Hey", Aurora said softly, heart in her throat, when she was greeted by deep, brown eyes.

"Hey", Phillip replied and brought his hand up to his messy hair. Aurora couldn't help but smirk a little at his appearance; he clearly hadn't shaved for a week and his usual, stylishly slick hair-do now looked like something out of a bed-head-commercial. He was dressed in his joggers and AC/DC-t-shirt, which meant he had a hangover.

"Rough night?" Aurora asked and took a couple of steps forward, closing the door behind her.

"Yeah, I…" he began, then shrugged his shoulders and scratched his neck. "I was out with Johnny; we had a couple of beers after the game. What, um, what are _you_ doing here?"

Aurora suddenly realized it had been quite a while since she'd been in her home, and also realized she owed Phillip and explanation, no matter what she was feeling. She walked further in until she was standing right in front of him, and brought her hand up to his arm while he stared at her suspiciously. "I came to get the rest of my things so that you can… And, _I_, can move on."

He tilted his head a bit, his hands in his pockets. "Well, to tell you the truth… _Your_ stuff is all packed. It's here." He walked back into the living room and Aurora followed, immediately met by a dozen brown moving-boxes, all taped up.

Not really knowing what to think, Aurora bit her lower lip as her eyes travelled from the boxes to her former boyfriend, who had quietly sat down onto the couch with his phone in his hands. He seemed different, somehow. _Cold_. She forced a smile, and told herself it was all right for her to sit down next to him. After all, she had paid for half of the couch.

"Something you want to tell me?" Aurora inquired, trying to get him to look at her, but he seemed to be all too busy texting.

"John's moving in", Phillip replied without looking up. Aurora peeked at his phone; he was texting on WhatsApp. "Since Jas isn't around anymore, he couldn't afford the rent all by himself. His Dad isn't helping him, so I told him he could have the living-room."

"Oh", Aurora whispered, genuinely surprised at the fact that Phillip had voluntarily taken steps to move forward from their relationship. For a mere moment, she couldn't tell whether she was surprised or sad, but she quickly shrugged her contradicting feelings off and focused on what was real and what was not; she was the one who had fallen in love with someone else, he was no longer the one she shared her life with. Still, a part of her felt slightly saddened. As she had been the one moving forward, she hadn't honestly given Phillip's future much thought. But here he was, ready. Maybe that was the way things were supposed to go. Surprise was quickly subsided by the irritation of Phillip talking about their dead friend like she'd chosen to leave, but Aurora bit her tongue, not wanting to start an argument.

"So, all your stuff is packed up and ready to go", Phillip continued, still texting. "_Wherever_ you want it to go."

"That's sweet of you", Aurora said softly. That finally caught his attention and he looked up from his phone. "I really appreciate you doing this, Phillip. You clearly didn't have to."

"I know", he replied, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "But I acted like an asshole so I figured I owed you this much." He put his phone down beside him and turned a little to the side to get a better look at her.

Aurora bit her lower lip, not able to keep quiet anymore. "Why did you give that article about Maleficent to Esme? Was it just to fuck everything up?"

He looked at her like he'd actually been hurt by her words. "What? _No_. Look, I was going to let the whole thing go but then, boom, it's right there in my inbox and the only thing I thought I could do with it was to pass it forward. I thought that was what I was _meant_ to do."

Aurora frowned, not grasping what he was telling her. "Your _inbox_? What are you talking about?"

Phillip moved his index-finger over the screen of his phone and opened his mailbox, then clicked on archives and held the phone up to Aurora's face. There was nothing in the subject box, and the only thing in the e-mail, except for the attached document, was a line of text.

'_Thought you could use this.' _

Aurora grabbed the phone and looked closer at the sender; it was a livejournal-account, with the username _l32bs.0305_. "Who the hell is this?" she asked, stunned.

"I have no idea", Phillip said and snatched his phone back. "But apparently, I'm not the only one who doesn't like Minardi. And whoever sent this knows that." He looked at Aurora, who stared in front of her like she was thinking vividly. "Look, maybe someone was just messing with me, I don't know."

"She didn't do it", Aurora cut in, determined. "Whoever sent that neglected to send the article which proved her innocence. This was a set-up. And you really have no idea who sent that?"

Phillip shook his head. "If I knew, I'd tell you. It gives me the creeps when shit like this happens. But I don't think you need to worry about anything, okay? If the point was for you to know, well, now you know." When he didn't get a reply, he decided to change the subject. "So, where are you living nowadays?"

Aurora, still utterly confused, snapped out of her thoughts and gave him a tiny smile, and then pulled her feet onto the couch, wrapping her arms around them. "Esme's dormitory, can you believe that?"

"Nope", he replied indifferently. "I thought you were shacking up with Minardi."

Aurora's heart skipped a beat when she realized that he truly was unable to let it go. "No, I'm not", she stated firmly, rolling a couple of locks around her finger. Technically, she wasn't lying; right _now_, she was staying with Esme. Still, guilt sipped into her from not being truthful with him.

"My bad", he muttered and folded his arms over his chest. His eyes moved to the floor for a second, then back up at her. "Her and Diaval are investigating these killings right?"

Aurora flinched and looked at him wide-eyed. They'd never really discussed the events together. "Well, that's what I hear. Why?"

Phillip shrugged his shoulders, again. "Nothing, I just read that Jessica Roberts was finally found somewhere in the woods. Have you told Minardi or Diaval about you and _her_?"

Aurora quickly shook her head and searched her mind for anything that would get Phillip to let the subject go, immediately. Some things, she'd decided, were better to leave in the dark until there was an obvious reason to bring them up. And at this very moment, she saw no point in complicating things with Maleficent even more. "I don't think what happened with her has anything to do with her ending up like that, to be honest."

Phillip looked at her for quite a while, clearly thinking about some kind of an objection, but the blonde's expression was solid, and he knew better than to push it. "Right. Well, it's your choice. So, do you want me to carry these down for you?" He pointed at the boxes.

"You'd do that?" Aurora asked, smiling widely. It was in everyone's interest for her to be kind; Phillip obviously wanted her gone, and she felt no need to stick around.

"Yeah, what the hell", he mumbled and got up, then paddled into the bedroom to get his sweater. Aurora stayed on the couch, eyeing the boxes he'd packed for her.

'_My life in a dozen of cardboard boxes'_, she thought to herself. Her life certainly hadn't gone the way she'd expected. Although she hadn't lived in this apartment for more than a couple of months, she felt a vague ache in her chest. Nothing had gone as expected. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed in slowly. _Paint_, not fresh but still stingy. _Fresh laundry_. _Lovely._

Her thoughts were interrupted when Phillip returned, dressed in his Dartmouth-sweater and arms open, telling her he was ready. So was she.

* * *

Maleficent had begun her day by passing people in the street with Emmanuelle by her side. They'd walked on Broadway all the way from the Upper East Side to downtown, simply enjoying the various sounds and smells that came their way. Emmanuelle, of course, didn't appreciate the city as much as Maleficent did, due to the fact that she was so used to it, and sometimes even annoyed by it. But the constant honking of cab-horns, people yelling at each other and heels on pavement, combined with rays of sun every now and then peeking in between skyscrapers warmed up even the coldest of hearts.

Maleficent had finally given in when Emmanuelle had complained about her heels for twelve blocks; they stopped by a stand in the park next to City Hall and bought a couple of pretzels. Emerald eyes fluttered closed as the salty taste hit Maleficent's tongue, and she let out a sound of satisfaction when she swallowed the first bite. "I've missed these _sooo_ much."

Emmanuelle rolled her eyes and shrugged inside her coat; the skyscrapers and crowds didn't protect her from the cold November-wind. "I've never seen a woman moan over a pretzel", she laughed as Maleficent closed her eyes, yet again, and even threw her head back in delight.

"One has to enjoy the simple pleasures of life", Maleficent replied and winked at her, then held her pretzel in the air like a trophy. "Sometimes, pleasure comes in the simple form of a European pastry."

Emmanuelle looked around, slightly embarrassed by her friend's show, but none of the people passing them seemed to realize what Maleficent was doing. The redhead took a bite of her own pretzel and dipped her chin into her woolen scarf. She'd known Maleficent for years, but the woman never seized to amaze her with her small gestures and unusual humor, which were the things she loved about her the most.

"No pretzels in Hanover?" she asked, raising a brow.

Maleficent shook her head and threw back the last bite of the pretzel, then wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, smearing blood-red lipstick all over it. She smiled at her friend as she chewed, and then brushed her messy hair out of her face.

"Well, what do you have then?" Emmanuelle inquired, quite nervous about hearing the answer to her question.

"Starbucks", Maleficent laughed straight from her heart. She linked arms with the redhead and they continued their stroll down Broadway, past St. Paul's Chapel. The wind blew in their hair, causing sensations of both cold and stillness. Every once in a while, Maleficent closed her eyes and allowed her friend to lead them through the crowds and the never-sleeping traffic lights. Her heart skipped a beat whenever she heard the subway rumbling beneath their feet.

"How's the investigation going?" Emmanuelle asked when they stopped by the crossing of Broadway and Liberty Street.

Maleficent opened her eyes and focused them on the people passing them on the sidewalk. Apparently, Diaval had felt the need to share _that_ part of her business, too. "It could be better. We've got a couple of leads, or merely links between the victims, but no obvious suspect yet. It's strange. There's nothing similar between this and anything we've ever faced before."

"Are you afraid?" Emmanuelle asked, shooting a glance at the brunette next to her. She watched her friend's eyes narrow and her lips purse slightly.

"Not like I used to be", Maleficent replied, giving her friend a comforting smile. "I don't feel like I'm involved in it, in any way. And I'd prefer not to have anything to do with it at all, but you know what Harry's like."

"And I know what you're like", Emmanuelle continued, her blue irises burning into Maleficent's emerald ones. They stopped again, beside Zuccotti Park. "But I do hope you'll keep yourself at a distance, this time. Cardiff was quite enough."

"Indeed, it was", Maleficent whispered and quickly pushed away some of the horrific memories threatening to take over her mind. With her arm linked in Emmanuelle's, she guided them towards the park with the intention of taking a break and sitting down, to better enjoy the sunlight their faces already bathed in. As they sat down, Maleficent opened her purse and took out a pack of cigarettes.

"God, give me one of those", Emmanuelle gasped, holding out her gloved hand.

Maleficent chuckled at the sudden light of excitement that appeared in her friend's eyes. "I thought you quit", she mumbled as she gave her one of the cigarettes, and then lit it at once. She watched Emmanuelle inhale a few times, her expression somewhere between delirious and high.

Emmanuelle coughed as she inhaled too quickly the third time, her eyes watering up a bit from the stinging smoke. "Like you said, one has to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. It's just sad that _everything_ pleasurable kills you."

Maleficent raised a brow as she exhaled slowly. "Sex doesn't kill you."

"Oh, really?" Emmanuelle laughed and turned her head to look at the smirking brunette. "Tell that to the doctor who had to fix my dislocated shoulder."

"Oh, Jesus Christ", Maleficent laughed, almost choking on her cigarette. "I'd forgotten."

"Forgotten what?" Emmanuelle asked, wiping some red strands out of her face.

"This", Maleficent replied, smiling kindly at her friend as she put her own hand on her gloved one. "_Us._"

Emmanuelle wasn't, like her friend, one for heart-to-hearts, so she gave the brunette a warm nod in return, then focused her attention on the killing device in her hand as Maleficent lolled her head back and let the sunlight cover her completely. It was a rare pleasure to be found in the great city.

Minutes passed quietly, the background noise having no other than a calming effect on Maleficent. She would most likely have fallen asleep if a sudden flash in the corner of her eye hadn't bothered her. Her eyes shot open and she looked around like a scared animal, searching for the source of the flash.

"What is it?" Emmanuelle asked, looking up from her phone.

Maleficent sat up properly and looked around, at unease. "I thought I saw…" She turned her head several times, scanning the park with narrowed eyes, until she found what she was looking for. About twenty yards to the left of where they were sitting was a man with a camera-bag beneath his arm. As Maleficent looked closer she realized he was closing his bag, apparently trying to hide something. Out of nowhere, she jumped up and began walking towards the man, leaving a confused Emmanuelle on the bench.

"Hey!" Maleficent yelled as she closed in on the man, catching his attention.

The minute the sound of her voice reached his ears, he turned around and began walking away in haste. Her heels scraped on the sand as she picked up her pace, and as she did so, so did he. In mere seconds, he'd gone from walking quickly to running towards Trinity Place, heading for the crossroads where he most likely would lose her.

Maleficent ran, adrenaline pumping through her body as annoyance and anger took over. She bumped into several people of the way, elbowing her way forward through the crowds as she started losing sight of the man running from her. By the time she'd reached the corner of Cedar and Trinity, he'd disappeared somewhere in the stream of people. Maleficent stopped, desperately looking around, but he was nowhere in sight. The sound of heels behind her caught her attention and she turned around, seeing Emmanuelle coming towards her with her purse in an outstretched hand.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" the redhead blurted out, breathing heavily from the run.

"I saw him before", Maleficent whispered, still gazing across the street. The loud honk of a bus startled her, and she let out a slow breath. "When we stopped by City Hall. He was sitting on a bench across from us. I looked at him a couple of times, and whenever I did, he always looked away. "

"So?" Emmanuelle laughed. "Maybe he was just photographing the city like the million other tourists here?"

Maleficent shot one last look over her shoulder, unable to shake the feeling. "Then why'd he run?"

Emmanuelle opened her arms and slapped them down with a look that very much told Maleficent that her friend thought she'd gone crazy. "I don't know! Maybe because a former investigator from the Scotland Yard came parading after him!" When Maleficent didn't laugh, she sighed loudly and linked their arms again. "I told you, all that fresh air is not good for you. Come on."

Maleficent allowed herself to be dragged back towards the park, but the anxiety in her chest was intolerably real; she knew what it felt like when she was being watched, and the former times had not been any different from this one.

* * *

"_Touch me", Aurora begged in her ear, teeth nibbling the brunette's earlobe. Fingernails were tracing Maleficent's clothed back as the blonde pushed herself harder against the brunette, her thighs spreading around her hips. "Please, touch me", she breathed again. _

_They were in the lecture hall and class had ended only a few moments ago, yet the swarms of students had exited in less than a minute, leaving the blonde and the brunette all alone in the huge space. Cunningly swinging her hips as she walked, Aurora had locked the door and sneaked up on Maleficent from behind, spinning her around to face her. No words had been needed; Maleficent's hands had immediately shot down to her waist and pushed her against the desk, and then lifted her up. _

"_Please", Aurora whispered again, leaning back to gaze into burning, emerald orbs. With her pink lips slightly parted, her eyes alternated between Maleficent's that glittered with lust, and the buttons of her white shirt. Slowly, Aurora drew her hands from the brunette's back to her shirt and began unbuttoning it, right away moving one of her hands inside to knead Maleficent's breasts through her bra. _

_Maleficent inhaled sharply as her eyes fluttered closed for just a split second, and then they shot open, filled with need. She grabbed Aurora's wrists, pushing her hands away from her body. An excited gasp escaped the blonde's lips, surprised by her teacher's use of force. Maleficent's nails violently dug into Aurora's wrists and she straightened her head so that she was looking down at the blonde instead of looking her directly in the eye. _

_Aurora gazed up at the beautiful woman and felt herself become completely vulnerable at her mercy. Slowly, Maleficent moved Aurora's wrist behind her back so that Maleficent's right hand was holding onto both of Aurora's hands. The blonde could have pulled herself free, but she chose to wait and see what her lover would do next. _

_And what Maleficent did next, Aurora had not expected; the brunette's hand flew down to the right thigh on the side of her hips, and then grabbed the hem of Aurora's stripy, school-girl skirt and slowly began pushing it up. The blonde impatiently bucked her hips forward, trying to get her core to rub against Maleficent's front, but the woman squeezed her hands tighter, stopping her in her movements. _

"_Naughty girl", Maleficent hissed between her white teeth as she lowered her chin and planted a soft kiss on Aurora's cheek, leaving a red mark from her smudged lipstick. As she did so, her hand pushed Aurora's skirt all the way up to her waist, revealing her to be completely bare. Maleficent gasped as she realized just how naughty Aurora truly was. She slowly moved her hand from the skirt to the apex of Aurora's thighs, but barely touched her there. _

"_Stop teasing", Aurora commanded, throwing her head back so that her blond hair cascaded down in locks over her back. The gesture immediately caught Maleficent's attention, her green eyes narrowing. _

"_Or what?" Maleficent murmured as her free hand opened Aurora's stripy tie, and then moved down to work on the buttons of her shirt. She was skilled and fast; in mere seconds Aurora's shirt flung open and Maleficent wasted no time unclasping her bra. Her hand travelled to pull the straps down underneath the shirt, her bra immediately loosening and revealing her full, perky breasts. _

"_Or I won't let you touch me", Aurora played, smiling cleverly at the brunette, who was clearly having trouble restraining herself. As a reply, Maleficent raised her eyebrows and locked eyes with the girl, and then something inside of her snapped; a flash of gold appeared in her emerald irises, and suddenly Aurora felt Maleficent's hand between her thighs. _

"_I'd like to see you try", Maleficent growled as her tongue licked the underside of Aurora's right breast and then continued lower, until her mouth had reached the rolled-up skirt around Aurora's waist. The blonde began breathing faster as Maleficent's mouth hovered over her slick core, but when she couldn't feel what she needed, she bucked her hips even harder, trying to get the woman to press her face against her. Smartly, Maleficent leaned her head back. _

"_God!" Aurora moaned in pure frustration, and for the first time she contemplated whether or not she should free herself. "Kiss me", she breathed, spreading her legs wider around the brunette. "Kiss me, touch me, anything – just do something, please." _

_Maleficent took a deep breath. 'Oh, I'll kiss you all right', she thought to herself as Aurora quivered again in front of her, her thighs slick and sweaty around Maleficent's clothed body. Finally letting go, she lowered her mouth to the girl's moist folds and touched them with the tip of her tongue. _

"_Wake up", Aurora groaned where she sat, her thighs around the woman working on her. _

"_What?" Maleficent mumbled, removing her mouth from the girl's heated center. _

"_Wake up", Aurora said, more sharply this time, raising her upper body to look at the woman between her legs. "Maleficent, wake up!" _

Suddenly Emmanuelle's voice rang in her ears, and her eyes shot open like she'd been burnt. At first, she couldn't see anything, but as her eyes adjusted to the dim light coming from the open kitchen, she managed to make out the contours of a face above hers. Then, there was an unfamiliar weight on her body; it wasn't Aurora.

She jerked completely awake in less than a second and gasped out loud, realizing her redhead friend was straddling her lower body, sitting on her with her hands on her shoulders, shaking her.

"Maleficent, it's me", Emmanuelle repeated. "You were dreaming."

Disorientated, Maleficent closed her eyes and tried to gather her thoughts, and then it came to her; sometime during the night, she had finally managed to find a place in her mind where only peace and quiet existed, and then she'd slowly drifted into a slumber. Her body had begun to feel light and feathery, and her heavy eyelids had slowly closed as both her breath and heartbeat had become slower. And then, she'd sunk deep into the world of dreams; a world where she was with her love.

Emmanuelle's slender fingers came up to caress her sharp cheekbones, and she opened her eyes. "You woke me. You were moaning in your sleep. I thought you were in distress, but then you smiled." Her red hair was tickling Maleficent's bare skin, and her hands were tightly squeezing her shoulders, still. "I tried to wake you, but you just kept on mumbling."

Maleficent bit her lower lip, mortified that she might've said something risky in her sleep. She tried propping herself up on her elbows, but Emmanuelle held her down, stopping her. "What are you doing?" she asked, feeling like she needed to get some fresh air to get over the fluster.

"You called _me_ naughty", Emmanuelle grinned, her face only inches away from Maleficent's. Even in the dark, she could tell that the redhead was smiling mischievously, and she could feel her breath on her lips. She was clearly entertained by Maleficent's face turning an even deeper shade of red.

"I most certainly did not", Maleficent hissed and swallowed. She then grabbed Emmanuelle's wrists, just like she'd grabbed Aurora's in her dream. "I wasn't dreaming of you", she stated calmly and tried to move again, without success.

"Mm, I'm sure", Emmanuelle teased, lowering herself even further down onto the brunette. As she did so, Maleficent's eyes shot down and she realized Emmanuelle was only wearing a short, silky – and _very_ revealing - nightgown. She was straddling Maleficent just above her panties, and as she squirmed, she felt the redhead grind slightly against her body. The small movement made Maleficent's breath hitch in her throat, and she quickly tried to crawl backwards on the couch.

"Emmanuelle", she whispered sharply, lifting her head to meet the sky-blue irises gazing into her emerald ones. "You need to get off of me, right now."

Emmanuelle bit her lower lip and her eyes shot down to Maleficent's white tank top that almost glowed in the dark. "Now, why would I do that when this is so much more… _fun_?" she whispered, teasing the woman underneath her.

'_It's power play_', Maleficent thought to herself. With Emmanuelle, it always was. Still, knowing it had to be in the middle of the night, she had no energy to play games with her friend, yet she knew that throwing her off of her wouldn't get the job done. Emmanuelle, who always called herself straight as an arrow, had ever since Maleficent's first girlfriend had some kind of a relentless need to tease the woman to the brink of insanity, even though she herself could never bring herself to do what she so teased about. But suddenly, the redhead ground against her again and something inside Maleficent snapped. "Get off, right now. I mean it."

Even though Emmanuelle's hands were still in the firm grip of her friend, she didn't back down. It had been too long since she'd had a proper opportunity to push Maleficent's buttons; something she took great pleasure in. "Oh, please, you can't fool me, sweetheart", she whispered. "Do tell me you're _not_ aching for release."

Maleficent's eyes widened at the redhead's words; she couldn't do so, because the truth was that her dream about Aurora had left her very hot and bothered, and extremely aroused. But no matter what the state, Maleficent craved no-one but Aurora. Whilst she felt uncomfortable, she did not feel frightened; she'd been here multiple times before, and not once had Emmanuelle won.

Emmanuelle saw an opportunity when the brunette didn't reply. She knew that silence coming from Maleficent was the same as a positive answer, for the woman had no trouble making objections wherever she saw them fit. Feeling incredibly bold and daring, Emmanuelle lowered her chin, her mouth barely an inch away from Maleficent's lips.

"Now, don't fight me", Emmanuelle whispered, her eyes lingering on the red, pillowy lips beneath her. "I heard you all those times in the dormitory at uni", she continued teasingly, moving her face to the side of Maleficent's, her lips hovering by her ear as her nails dug into the brunette's shoulders. "I know exactly what you like." She ground her hips a little lower and felt the woman stiffen beneath her. "You know I can make you feel so _good_."

Maleficent closed her eyes and inhaled sharply before letting go of Emmanuelle's wrists. _'Yes, I know that.'_ When she did so, the redhead did exactly what she'd expected; needy hands flew to her neck and cradled her face, lips hovering just above hers. Maleficent slowly brushed her own palms from Emmanuelle's shoulders all the way down to her bottom, and before Emmanuelle realized what had happened, the back of her head hit the woolen, fluffy rug on the floor, Maleficent's body heavy on top of hers. She'd rolled them over.

"Ouch", Emmanuelle hissed, her hand flying up to her head. "I was only joking!"

"We've been over this", Maleficent murmured, pushing her whole weight onto the redhead, making her gasp. "If you wanted me, you would've done something about it by now", she continued, her hands pinning Emmanuelle to the floor, hard. "So, do us both a favor and believe me when I say that I'm serious about Aurora. Don't push it, because you will not win."

When Maleficent mentioned Aurora's name, Emmanuelle's eyes widened and she swallowed quickly, looking at the intense flares in Maleficent's eyes. For the first time ever, she felt defeated. Not because Maleficent had the upper hand and was pinning her to the floor, but because for the first time, Maleficent had brought someone else into the constant power-battle between them. _Aurora_. When her name had been said, a lot of other things had also been said at the same time, breaking Emmanuelle to the bone. Her friend didn't want to play anymore; not because she knew she wouldn't get her reward but because someone else held her heart in her hands.

Maleficent saw the glimpse of defeat in Emmanuelle's eyes, and decided to let her go before she broke the woman's self-confidence for good. She released her and backed up, squatting with her knees tightly together, and Emmanuelle propped herself up on her elbows, sighing softly.

"We're going to have so much fun at Dartmouth", she chuckled to herself, avoiding Maleficent's gaze.

Maleficent straightened herself up and sat down on the edge of the couch, eyeing her friend with both annoyance and empathy. "I know you won't change", she began. "I know you've got a problem, and I know that certain things really give you the kicks…" She paused and scratched the side of her shoulder. "This would all be all right if it didn't make me feel like I was being unfaithful."

Emmanuelle looked at her bare legs and out of nowhere, she pushed her nightgown down, covering her upper thighs even though they were barely visible in the dark. "I'm sorry", she whispered, meeting Maleficent's seeking gaze. She felt incredibly embarrassed that she hadn't been able to resist the temptation. "I'm just... I've missed you. It's going to take a while for me to understand that you're in a different place now. Your ways intrigue me, still."

Maleficent nodded. "It's okay. You're just going to have to be intrigued by someone else." The things that needed to be said had been said, and Maleficent decided to enlighten the mood just a tad before sending Emmanuelle off to bed. "And just for the record, I really _wasn't _dreaming about you."

Emmanuelle laughed and brushed her hand through her hair, unable to give up the last bit of her pride. "Whatever you say."

* * *

Aurora awoke to the sound of her phone buzzing on the floor next to the bed. Rubbing her eyes, she peeked over her shoulder to check if the sound had woken Esme, but the sea of brown tresses was still snoring loudly, oblivious to anything but the softness of the pillow her head was resting on. Yawning widely, Aurora stretched her hand over the edge of the bed and fumbled around, searching for her vibrating phone. Her fingers finally found it and wrapped around it, but as she brought it up to her face, her eyes opened _wide_. Gasping, she immediately sat up and hurried into the living-room, closing the door behind her.

"Hello?" she said as she slid the green button on the screen.

There was a long silence, then a soft, low voice. _"Hello, Aurora."_

Aurora felt like she wanted to sob out of happiness as she sat down on the couch. "You never call me."

"_There's a first time for everything." _

She grinned widely, eyes closed, and tried concentrating on Maleficent's entrancing voice. "I went to your apartment."

"_Good, I was hoping you had done so. I, um…"_ There was another long silence until Maleficent spoke again. _"I really wanted to hear your voice."_

Aurora's smile couldn't get any wider and she brought her hand up to her chest, which was now filled with warmth. "I'm so happy you called. Where are you? It's like two o'clock in the morning."

"_I'm staying with a friend in New York. I'll be home tomorrow. I hope I didn't wake you." _

"It's all right", Aurora laughed. "You've got a special permission to wake me, always. Is everything okay?" She couldn't help but wonder about the late hour.

"_Yes. Everything is fine. I simply wanted to know that… Well, that we are all right, before I went to bed." _

'_We're more than all right'_, Aurora thought in her head, overly relieved that Maleficent wasn't angry with her and that she was coming home soon so that they could see each other. The way things had ended the last time they'd spoken had bothered Aurora for almost two whole days now. She quickly pondered whether or not she should tell Maleficent about the e-mail Phillip had received, but since it was late, she decided they could talk about it tomorrow. "We're good", she said softly and bit her lip. When there was no reply, only small breaths barely audible, she pressed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. "Maleficent?"

"_Yes?" _Maleficent's voice was so very soft and kind on the other end of the line.

It was now or never. Deciding that she never wanted to argue about anything again – that all she cared about was getting Maleficent home – she took a leap of faith and softly whispered: "I miss you."

Silence, and then a quick breath.

"_I miss you too." _


	22. Intrusion

_**A/N: Thank you all you old and new reviewers. You make my heart happy. xx - D. **_

* * *

_My words can come out as a pistol & I'm no good at aiming, but I can aim it at you._ - Jillian Banks & Anderson Tim

* * *

The warm water cascaded down Maleficent's stiff body, washing away everything that sitting in the car for six hours had done to her. The drive from New York to Hanover had been dreadfully long, due to traffic and Emmanuelle's non-existent driving-skills. Several times during the drive, Maleficent had wondered, almost aloud, how anyone had ever agreed to give the redhead a license. Still, they'd reached home before nightfall, and had also had a bit of a laugh on the way, stopping a couple of times for coffee and chatting about Emmanuelle's ever-so-eventful love life.

Maleficent brought her hands up to her face and rubbed her temples, careful not to get her hair wet. Not that she didn't need a proper scrub, but her tresses were so thick that whenever she scrubbed her scalp properly, it took ages for her hair to dry, and tonight she had no patience to wait around. She'd called Aurora, again, on the way to inform her of the approximate time of her arrival so that the blonde could come over later to… talk.

Yes, they needed to _talk._ But foremost, Maleficent yearned to feel Aurora everywhere around her and inside her. The lack of physical contact with the girl, even if just for four days, made her feel like there was an itch she needed to scratch - one that would not stop itching, no matter how hard her nails dragged over it. As she brushed her palms over her slick chest and stomach, the water running down her slender forms, she momentarily threw her head back and closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling of pure warmth. It was close; the way her body melted into the water, just like it melted into Aurora.

Suddenly her body jolted, like she'd been electrocuted. Emerald eyes flew open and she stared at the shower-head in front of her, pupils tracing the drops that ended up on the bottom of the bathtub. Her mind worked in extremely confusing ways; as she stood there and recalled how it felt to be one with the sweet girl of her affections, she recalled something else as well. Searching her mind, a memory had appeared before her eyes, only for a second or two. Frowning, she went through every recent memory in her mind, searching for the source of the flashback.

_"I'm actually quite excited to be staying on campus", Emmanuelle laughed and threw back the rest of her cold coffee. Leaning on the door to her black SUV, she glared at her friend, who was smoking a cigarette right beside her. "This whole gas station could explode if you decided not to put that one out." _

_An evil chuckle escaped Maleficent's throat as she inhaled slowly and locked her shimmering eyes onto blue, azure ones. "Wouldn't that be wonderful? Poof, and not a care in the world." _

_Emmanuelle shook her head and snorted, obviously not satisfied with her friend's choice of words. "You always had a death wish, Maleficent. I see it's followed you through all these years." _

_"Hush", the brunette smirked, tilting her head. "I like to let my imagination wander. I find things to be much more… alluring, which is rather unusual." _

_"Yes, I clearly remember you liking the fact that you don't like anything", Emmanuelle muttered, glaring at the cardboard-mug in Maleficent's hand. "Are you going to drink that?" _

_"Why?" Maleficent asked, eyeing her friend from head to toes. Emmanuelle visibly shrunk a few inches under her stare. "You want to taste my delicious milk, is that it?" _

_"Now, you, hush", Emmanuelle laughed, her hand flying up to her heart. She gazed at the open road ahead of them, at the yellow, autumn-dried fields surrounding the highway and finally, at the gray, cloudy sky. Maleficent's eyes stayed on hers, studying the woman intently. Emmanuelle was beautifully lost in her thoughts - perhaps wondering what the future would bring her at Dartmouth. The corners of the redhead's mouth twitched, like she was fighting a smile and Maleficent felt herself begin to smile as well as she looked at the woman. _

_And then, she looked a little further. Blurry, in the background, parked about twenty yards away next to the gas-station, was a blue car with a shadowed man in the driver's seat. Unconsciously, Maleficent's mind took in the image and features of the man whilst her mind in reality was on Emmanuelle. As the man peeked out through the window, right at them, he quickly lowered his head and started the engine, driving off. _

It wasn't until now, in the hot, soothing shower, that Maleficent understood who the man in her flashing memory was. Gasping out loud, she rested one hand on the tap as the other flew up to her head. _The photographer in the park_. When she focused with all her might, the blurry face behind Emmanuelle's laughing profile was the face of the same man, the one she'd chased downtown. She turned the tap at once, looking around the bathroom with her heart beating like crazy. Reaching for a towel, she stepped out and threw a quick look at her face in the mirror. It was obvious that she was being followed. It couldn't, in any way, be a coincidence that she'd seen him _twice_ during the weekend. Her thoughts raced as she pondered the different alternatives of what the man wanted from her, and who he might be connected to.

Exhaling a deep breath, one she had unconsciously been holding as she wondered, she brought her fingers back up to her temples and tried to think in silence.

Except, her apartment was _not _silent.

Green eyes widened as they realized that there were sounds coming from the living room, behind the bathroom-door. She was supposed to be alone. Within seconds, Maleficent had opened the cupboard beneath the sink and pulled out a pair of sharp scissors. Her other hand reached behind her, towards the hooks on the wall, searching for her robe. Finding it, she quickly threw it on even though her skin was still damp, leaving dark spots on the gray robe. She held her breath, again, and tried to make out what it was she was hearing.

There was a continuing beat, steady and solid. Was that a trumpet? Frowning, with the scissors hidden beneath her sleeve, she wiped her hair out of her face and turned the handle of the bathroom-door, sliding it open and begging it wouldn't creak.

A familiar song reached her ears, so much louder now. The base humming in the background, her eyes travelled through her dark apartment, making her throat tighten; she'd left the light _on_ before showering. Everything was now pitch black in front of her eyes since she'd drawn the blinds. Her hand searched for the switch, but when she found it and flicked it, nothing happened. The synthesizer and saxophone of the classic _I want your love_ by Chic was playing throughout her apartment, coming from her old record player behind the couch in the living-room. She hadn't used it for ages and hadn't even remembered that she owned the record of the popular, legendary band. Who had put it on and why? She bit the insides of her cheeks as her fingers tightened around the scissors. _Step forward_. Something caught her eye. There was a lit candle in the kitchen.

_'… I want your love, I need your love, I'll share my dreams and make you see how really bad your love I need…'_

Maybe it was Aurora. The candle flickered, lighting up the counter it was standing on. Maleficent approached it and leaned forward. Cinnamon. Her eyes anxiously shot around her kitchen and living-room, but she could only make out the contours of her furniture. "Aurora?" she called out softly, certain that her voice couldn't be heard over the music.

The sudden drums made her heart skip a beat and her hand flew up to her chest as she momentarily closed her eyes and breathed out. Hairs stood up on her arms when she realized that Aurora wouldn't do something like this. The blonde would've come running to her. First she'd realized that she'd been followed, and now she was certain that someone was in her apartment; someone she didn't want there. _Another step forward_. With one hand outstretched before her, she made her way towards the source of the music, careful not to trip or stumble on anything on her way. With her back turned to the bedroom door, she stood by the record player and was just about to lift the needle to end the song when a familiar scent reached her nose.

Cigarette-smoke.

Closing her eyes, she exhaled slowly as panic began to take over. She knew _that_ smell. She knew _who_ it belonged to. She slid the scissors further down her palm as she took five seconds, only five, to compose herself before turning towards the source of the smoke.

Turning around, her eyes fell upon the familiar figure of a man, leaning in the doorway to her bedroom, his face lit up from the cigarette. His dark eyes were black pools, as if they were made of ink, and they lit up, burning, when he inhaled. She couldn't make out the rest of him and out of actual fear, for the first time in a long time, she hid her hand and the scissors behind her back as she straightened her posture, trying not to look frightened, although she could feel her lip wanting to tremble of its own accord. "What are _you_ doing here?" she asked quietly, the words barely escaping from between her teeth.

Stefan Briars exhaled and pulled out a white, thick candle from his jacket pocket and lit it with the tip of his cigarette. Grinning, he stepped forward and placed it on the coffee-table on his left side. "Your light-bulb when out. I thought I'd be nice and fix it for you."

His voice made her skin crawl. Squeezing the scissors so hard she was sure her hands were bleeding by now, her eyes flew to the door of the apartment, and then back at Stefan. "You're intruding", she stated as calmly as possible. "That's not very nice."

A chuckle of pure, venomous evil escaped him as he took yet another step towards her, making her take half a step back. The candle lit his form up from the side and she bit back a gasp when she saw the unmistakable form of a revolver, half-hidden by his jacket. He seemed to realize that's she'd discovered it, for his own eyes shot down to it before locking themselves on Maleficent's breathing, terrified form.

"I'm not the only one who isn't playing nice", Stefan murmured.

"The man following me", Maleficent began even though she felt like she was about to choke on her own breath. "Is he with you?"

Stefan grinned, as if he was actually pleased that she'd been able to piece things together so quickly. He nodded slowly and brought his hand up to his hair, brushing his nails through it. Maleficent followed his every move, contemplating whether or not she should make a run for the door. The man was armed, and something told her he wasn't there to have a peaceful little chat. "You see, Maleficent… I'm really disappointed. When I met you, I was starstruck…" As he spoke, he walked further towards her, making her back up until her thighs hit the back of the couch. "You seemed so smart and so very intelligent." He tossed the burning cigarette on the floor and put it out with the heel of his shoe. "I had someone like _you_ protecting my daughter. You can't imagine the gratitude. And then…"

Maleficent didn't dare blink. Her chest heaved quickly under her thin robe when Stefan was only a few feet away. Even in the dark, the power he held was undeniable. When she'd seen him on campus, she hadn't exactly felt terrified but uncomfortable. Now, though, she let herself feel him, and it was numbing, even agonizing. She had no way out.

Stefan stopped, two steps away from her and lit another cigarette, once again breathing the smoke into Maleficent's face. She fought not to blink as her eyes stung. Suddenly his eyes became even a deeper shade of black. "Then, I find out that all along, you've been sleeping with my daughter."

_'… all alone in my bed night I grab my pillow and squeeze it tight, I think of you and I dream of you, all of the time, what am I gonna do…' _

Maleficent's heart sank so fast she barely caught her breath. There were a million things she could say, but no coherent sentences came out as the thought - that he knew about her and Aurora -weighted her down and made all her blood leave her face. As she inhaled, she inhaled the smoke with her, and her eyes teared up. She opened her mouth slightly, but Stefan lifted a finger, silencing her.

"Now", he whispered, and suddenly the evil smile had disappeared from his face. "If I ever - _ever_ - see you touch my daughter again, I will destroy you."

Suddenly a flash of white rage took over her sight, and her mouth fell agape. What had made him think he could just march in there and tell her what to do in her own home? "You will not tell me what to do, not now, not _ever._" Her tone of voice was so firm that she saw Stefan's pupils dilate. "Aurora is a grown woman and she does not need the permission of her deranged father to do as she pleases. I want you to leave. I want you to leave, right now."

She stood her ground, but so did he.

In less than a second, his fingers dropped the burning cigarette and wrapped themselves around her slender neck, squeezing hard. She let out a surprised breath, and then that was it. His thumbs pressed under chin, cutting off her air supply and her eyes teared up so fast her vision became blurry. Coughing, she did the only thing she could whilst staring at his yellow, gritted teeth as he furiously strangled her; the hand holding the scissors flew to her front and the metal sunk into his arm like a stone into water. He let out a strangled groan of pain and his hands loosened up enough for her to draw in a quick breath and dodge, rushing past him.

She'd made it halfway to the kitchen, gasping for breath and attempting to get one of the knives when she felt his fingers dig into her robed waist and like she'd been smacked, she fell head first onto the floor, moaning in pain as the hardwood made contact with her forehead. She had no time to turn around; she felt Stefan's weight on her, and then his fingers yanked her brown tresses, forcing her spine into the most unnatural position. Hissing in pure agony, her hands flew up to his, clawing, as she felt like he was ripping her scalp off of her head together with her hair. His furious groans were in her ear, and then his breath was there, too.

"I put this song on the first night, after I met you", he growled in her ear as his weight pressed into the small of her back and his fingers held her in a firm grip, forcing her to listen as she let out a cry. "It would be such a shame to commit murder while listening to it, but the choice is yours. If you don't tell Aurora to stay away from you, I will destroy not only you, but everyone you love. _Everyone_."

"Let me go!" she screamed as he yanked her hair even harder, his rough, un-shaved face against her ear. The pain in her back was unbearable and through blurry eyes she could see the handle of her kitchen-knife, peeking over the edge of the counter, only a few feet away. Even though she knew she wouldn't make it, she lunged forward, hoping the sudden movement would startle him and make him let go, but his grip only hardened and he yanked her back, his other hand traveling down to her sternum, holding her in place.

"I don't want to hurt you just yet", he hissed, his breathing ragged from holding the struggling brunette down on the floor. "But unless you don't calm down, I'll have no choice. Now, this is what you're going to do; you're going to resign from the college, and you will never see her again. I know who you are and I know exactly what you've done. I though Aurora would be smart enough to walk away, but turns out she's too much like her mother. And you…" He stopped pulling but held her in place as his left hand travelled from her sternum further down, to the place where garment met skin. She froze when she felt his hand there. "… are going to _obey_ me, Maleficent", he whispered into her ear as her breathing quickened and eyes widened, terrified of what he was going to do next. "Do what's best for all of us, and I'll forget this ever happened."

_Inhale_. She tightened her jaw and since he'd stopped yanking her hair, she let go of his hands and brought them down to the floor in front of her, signaling that she was understanding him. Blood pounded in her ears as she counted to five in her mind, and then clenched her fists. Slowly and clearly, she whispered: "Who the hell do you think you are?" A second later her bare heel shot into his spine, between his shoulder blades, and he fell over.

As quickly as she could, she pulled herself up and lunged onto him, reaching for his gun. Recovering from the blow, he realized what she was doing and went to wrap his fingers around her neck again, but she held her breath in advance and reached for the revolver beneath his coat. Her hand wrapped around it the second her vision began to blur again. She pulled it out and aimed it at him, and he let go immediately, his hands falling to the sides. She inhaled so hard her lungs swelled as her hands shook, her finger on the trigger.

"_This_ is what is going to happen", she whispered without any trace of fear in her voice, now. The look on his face was enough to let her know that the ball was in her court. Her hands firm, she crawled off of him and stood up, her head dizzy from the blow to her face. "You're going to get up and leave. I won't mention this to Aurora or call the police, and you will never show your face in this town again. If I find that anyone is following me, I will go straight to the police and make sure that you go away for assault. I've got your gun, your fingerprints in my apartment and your blood on my scissors. You will leave us alone or I swear to God, I will _hurt_ you. Do. Not. Test. Me."

His hands had moved from the floor to in front of his chest and he held them up, as if he was surrendering, but she knew better; he was simply contemplating whether or not to back down now or later. His face was cold in the light of the candle, flames flickering on him. Slowly, he crawled a few feet backwards until he reached the counter. With the gun aimed at him, he supported himself on the counter as he pulled himself up and then glared at the door. "You'll regret this", he hissed. There was a promise in his voice.

Maleficent cocked the gun and aimed it at his head. "Come near me again, and _you'll_ regret it." She nodded towards the door, ordering him to move. Slowly, he did, one step at a time, with his hands in the air. She followed him, keeping a small distance between them to make sure that he wouldn't be able to lunge at her and get his gun back. When he reached the door, he slowly put one of his hands down and grabbed the handle, opening the front door. With one last look of pure disgust, he stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind him, leaving Maleficent shivering, the gun shaking in her hands.

When the door clicked and she could hear his footsteps moving away, she ran forward and reached for her keys, and then locked the double cylinder dead bolt, making sure he would not be coming back.

At last, she lowered the gun and backed away from the door, walking until she reached the wall and then slid down it, pulling her knees up to her chest. The adrenaline must have been pumping through her veins at record speed for now she felt like she'd been run over. Her forehead began aching so hard her eyelids twitched and her neck felt sore. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she brought her hand to her forehead and as she looked at it, there was blood on her fingertips. _Fuck_, she thought, and tilted her head back. _The bastard_.

Never had she imagined that Stefan Briars would be crazy enough to do something like that. He'd seemed composed - daring, of course - but sane when she'd met him. Now, the width of his abilities was finally crystal-clear and she knew that she'd be looking over her shoulder during the weeks to come. The knot in her chest slowly began opening, but she kept the gun by her hand on the floor, just in case, even though her door was as secure as a door could get with the dead bolt on. She'd have to call Diaval in the morning and get a police officer to escort her to work. Every thought in her head moved in slow-motion, probably because she'd been out of breath when he'd been strangling her. He'd meant to kill her with that force, and no one would tell her otherwise. _'I know exactly what you've done. I though Aurora would be smart enough to walk away'_. His voice made her press her eyes shut in contempt and her fingers itched, as if she wanted the gun closer to her.

Stefan was the reason behind everything that had happened; Aurora finding out about her past, her being stalked from New York to Hanover. At the thought of him being responsible for everything - and at the thought of Aurora_ loving_ him - she screamed into her lap and repeatedly beat her head into the wall. What the hell was she going to do now? Her head felt so heavy and she kept her eyes closed, trying to relax. The record player's needle was scratching. _Just breathe, easy_. _Things have been worse. _

Indeed, they had, but it didn't ease her mind the way she needed it to.

Two hard knocks on the door startled her and she immediately reached for the gun as her eyes locked on the front door. Stumbling up, she wiped her forehead with the sleeve of her robe and slowly began walking towards the entrance of her apartment. Her fingers squeezed the gun like she'd squeezed the scissors, which her toes made contact with as she walked. She bent down and picked them up, and then slipped them into her pocket, incase she would need them again. But something told her that even Stefan wasn't stupid enough to return so soon.

"Who is it?" she asked when she reached the door, the gun aimed at it.

"It's Aurora", came the muffled reply from behind the barrier.

At the sound of the angel-like, sweet voice, Maleficent lowered the gun and took a deep breath before she reached for the keys and unlocked the dead bolt. Slowly, she turned the handle and slid the door open, the gun hidden behind her back. She was met by Aurora's bright, blue eyes, smiling at her like she'd never been happier. She wasted no time saying hello; she pushed the door open widely and jumped right into Maleficent's arms, wrapping her own around the slender brunette and breathing her in.

"I missed you so much", Aurora whispered into the brown tresses as she nudged her face against Maleficent's cheek, her lips lingering there.

Maleficent gasped at the sudden contact and wrapped her own arms softly around Aurora, making sure the gun didn't touch the blonde's back. Sighing, she wrapped one of her hands into the beautiful locks and allowed herself to relax before she pushed the door closed with the same hand that was holding the gun. She smelt so good. She felt so warm and welcoming, soothing, even. Slowly, Maleficent pulled her face away to gaze into the sapphire, glowing eyes; the eyes in which she saw a better version of herself. Aurora tilted her head and smiled up at her, but her genuinely happy expression turned dark in less than two seconds. Gasping, the blonde raised her hands to her mouth and stared at Maleficent's forehead.

"You're bleeding!" she gasped before she brushed the woman's cheek with the tips of her fingers. Her expression was more than concerned, as if Maleficent's bleeding forehead was one of the most horrid things she'd ever seen. "What happened?"

Maleficent sighed and looked down at the floor. _Suppose, this cannot be avoided_. Sooner or later she'd have to let Aurora in on the truth about her father - she just didn't feel like doing it now. Yes, she'd told Stefan she wouldn't mention their encounter to anyone, but she sure as hell wasn't going to feel bad about breaking her word. Nevertheless, Aurora's frightened eyes bore into her like knives and she met her gaze, swallowing hard. Slowly, she brought her hand into view, and Aurora's mouth fell agape when she saw the gun. She immediately grabbed Maleficent's wrist and held it down, keeping the gun aimed at the floor.

"_Why_ do you have that?" she whispered, voice laden with terror and confusion.

Maleficent brought her free hand up to Aurora's face and caressed her cheek, then her chin, and then her neck. The girl didn't, to Maleficent's relief, pull away. Smiling vaguely, calming Aurora down, she opened her mouth and met the girl's pleading gaze, apologetically. "There's something I have to tell you", she whispered softly. The words were like stones in her heart. "I'm afraid you're not going to like it."


	23. Aftermath

**_A/N: Things are slowly moving towards the end, but there are still chapters to come. I'm not updating as quickly anymore because of uni, but I hope y'all are still satisfied. A *little* fluff and drama before things get serious. Leave your thoughts and thank you for all of the reviews. PS. I've begun another fic, which I also update about once a week, it's called Red Lights. The theme is more mature, but do take a look and leave a review; it boosts me. xx_ **

* * *

Early rays of sunlight filtered in through the windows of Maleficent's basement-office, and as the leaves looked like they had become a shade darker during the night, so had her mood as well. Grading papers had never been her strong suit, especially at nine in the morning. Since the beginning of November was near, there was less and less sunlight every day, and it had a direct effect on her mood; the darker it got, the darker she got. Sometimes, she even wondered about the possibility of her being one with nature; ever so often, they seemed to feel the same.

The dark mocha in her favorite cup had already gone cold, resting beside her hand on the desk. Bright, red color drew lines over misspelt words, and her eyelids seemed heavier than ever. Above her, she could hear chairs moving and people walking. Shrugging deeper into her jacket, she took a sip of her cold coffee and glared at the gun on her desk.

_Security_.

She'd tried, but she hadn't been able to leave home without it. Of course she hadn't told Aurora about bringing it with her, and if she got caught she would be facing thirty reasons to get fired, but once she'd begun feeling frightened, there'd been no other possibility to even consider. Sneakily, she'd hid the gun in her bag, and kept her bag open so that she needn't but reach in if something seemed out of the ordinary.

Her emerald eyes glittering with hazel this morning travelled over scruffy hand-writing and ridiculous explanations on exams. _'Bloody mid-terms'_, she thought to herself. Biting back a yawn, she threw her head back and took a couple of deep breaths. She was maxed out on adrenaline, that was certain.

_Aurora_.

If someone had asked Maleficent how she was feeling this morning, she would've replied _'horrible'_. There was no other way of saying it. She'd held the quivering, sobbing blonde in her arms for most of the night, until the petite angel had finally fallen asleep with her head on her chest, shallow breaths breaking the silence, but music to Maleficent's ears after hours of crying. She'd caressed her hair until her shallow breaths had become stable, and then she'd finally allowed herself to succumb to sleep; gun by her side, nevertheless.

She dropped the pen and brought her hands up to her head, and then leaned her elbows onto her desk. Horrid situations with no ways out never surprised her, but for once, she hoped she could take the young girl's pain away. The feelings rushing through her last night, like the need to comfort, were similar to the ones she had felt the night that Aurora's friend had been brutally murdered. It was all just too much, at once. She'd been through enough. She didn't need what had happened last night.

_Aurora's hands tugged at her own hair as she paced around in the living-room, shaking her head. "No, no, no!" she yelled, mostly at herself, but Maleficent still went stiff at the sound of her voice. "He wouldn't do this, he wouldn't do this!" She turned around and stared at Maleficent, as if she was hoping that she would agree with her, but the brunette stayed silent. "He's my father! He's all I have, he wouldn't do this!" _

_Maleficent lowered her gaze and brought her hand up to her forehead. The bleeding had stopped, but her head was still aching, like she was having the worst hangover of her life. Maybe she was. She glared at the gun on the living-room table, and then at Aurora. "I understand that you're distraught, and I am sorry. But he was very clear." _

_"So, what, he just walks in here and beats the hell out of you and threatens to what, kill you, if we continue seeing each other?" Aurora had never lost her temper in front of her love, but now, her eyes were blazing with total fury, and somehow, she looked older, like anger took away years from her life. Suddenly, her expression went from angered to terrified, and she took a couple of steps forward. "Are you going to comply? Is that… What, do you not want to see me anymore?" _

_Maleficent wasted no time staring at the girl, like she usually did when she was asked tough questions; quickly, she closed the distance between them and took the girl into her arms. She squeezed her hard and nuzzled her chin against the side of the blonde's head, soothing her softly. "Ssh, no, God, no. That is not what this is about." She buried her hand in the thick, blond curls and kissed the top of her head as Aurora began to sob. "I am not a minion of his. We make our own decisions, and he has no business telling us what to do. You are a grown woman, but I understand that this hurts." _

_Aurora had buried her face against Maleficent's sore neck, and the brunette felt a couple of tears fall there. "He's my Dad, Maleficent. He's my Dad, I don't understand - " _

_"Neither do I", she cut in, kissing her head again. "And I do not agree with the way he decided to solve things. Violence is never right, but I can understand the confusion and anger that he is feeling. He must think me such a hypocrite, having coffee with him and lying about our relationship." _

_"That's no excuse", Aurora whispered into her neck. "He should love me, he should support me." _

_"I know", Maleficent whispered and held the girl even tighter. "I know, sweetheart. But this really happened, and all we can do is deal with it. You'll get a chance to talk to him when the time is right, but now, this is all too fresh. We need to let the dust settle. You need to let this sink in before you take any action against him." _

The following hour Maleficent had struggled with Aurora, trying to keep the blonde's cellphone away from her hands. Recalling how they'd both fallen to the floor as Aurora had struggled to get her hands on the phone, Maleficent closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, regretting that she'd allowed the girl to come to college. Any reasonable person would've told her to stay at home, in bed, to clear her mind and then sleep some more. Still, a part of her had thought that speaking to her friends - or the walking disaster called Esme - would only do her good, and maybe give her a perspective neither her nor Aurora herself had managed to see.

It wasn't like Maleficent didn't have enough on her mind. She'd promised that she and Diaval would go over the case again as soon as she returned from New York, but there was no shame in telling herself that now, there simply wasn't any energy left for something so heavy. She'd called him in the morning and explained what had happened, and of course, a large amount of time had been spent on simply calming him down. For several moments, she'd only listened to his swearing and threats against Aurora's father.

Sipping up the last of her cold coffee, she rolled her chair around in circles, eyes closed, pretending she was on a carousel; it calmed her.

A couple of knocks on the door made her stop her spinning, and she grabbed the edge of her desk as her brown hair settled on her shoulders. Hand moving slowly towards the gun, she cleared her throat and asked loudly: "Who is it?"

She watched the handle turn and in paraded a tall figure in killer-heels and a black, tailored suit. Emmanuelle shut the door behind her and raised her eyebrows when her eyes found Maleficent.

"You look…", she began, her blue eyes full of confusion.

"Yes, do tell me", Maleficent mumbled and leaned onto the desk so that Emmanuelle couldn't see the gun behind her.

"Ghastly", she blurted out, and a hand flew up to her mouth. She watched her friend smile vaguely and nonchalantly shrug her shoulders in a 'oh, well'-motion. "Sorry. I just dropped in to see if you wanted to get some coffee, but it looks like you already have some." She pointed at the cup on her desk.

Maleficent brushed her hair back, revealing the bruise that she'd so carefully hid with extra-thick concealer. She heard Emmanuelle gasp, but ignored it. She did not have the energy for this. "Ask me what happened and I will snap your neck. I mean it."

There was a long silence, and then Emmanuelle pursed her lips. "Not to be a total cow, dear, but there is no need to ask of things I'm already aware of." With that, she got Maleficent to turn towards her, astonished. Emmanuelle rolled her eyes and took two clicking steps forward. "Harry called."

"Christ", Maleficent whispered violently and pressed her eyes shut. "He has got to _stop_ doing that."

The redhead couldn't help but grin at her friend's pained expression. She walked a bit forward and sat down on the edge of her desk. "Are you all right?"

"Never better", Maleficent mumbled, eyes still closed and fingers massaging her temples. Although she had no nerves for anything today, her friend's presence did comfort her.

"If the bastard shows himself again…", Emmanuelle began, looking at her lap. "You can always slice his throat with your cheekbones."

Maleficent couldn't help it; a genuine chuckle escaped her lips and she let her chin fall, giggling where she sat. Emmanuelle soon joined her in the laughter and wiped a couple of tears away from underneath her thick eyeliner. When the joyous noises finally settled, Maleficent and Emmanuelle stared at each other in silence, still amused. The brunette leaned forward, onto her elbows, and glared at her empty cup. "I suppose coffee couldn't hurt. I've got about a billion papers left to grade." She got up and turned towards the door, but Emmanuelle's legs, resting over the edge of her desk, were blocking her. Confused, she looked up and met the azure-blue, glistening eyes. The woman suddenly bore a rather serious look.

"If there was a way, I would kill him." Her tone was firm and low, and Maleficent had heard it only _once_ before.

"I know", the brunette replied, and brushed her friend's hand. "And I'd post your bail. Let's go." They walked out in silence, and Maleficent was certain that Emmanuelle had seen the gun, but was thankful for the fact that she'd chosen to remain silent.

* * *

Things had to be really damn serious for Esme to simply shut up and stare, but here she was; quiet and staring. Various people passed her and Aurora in the corridor, but her mouth stayed open in a silent scream, and finally, Aurora waved her hand in front of her mute friend's face, to ask if she was still alive.

"He did what?" she finally managed to blurt out, together with the breath she had been holding for about half a minute. "He _attacked_ her?"

Aurora nodded, heart heavy. If it hadn't been for all the noise and the faces around them, she would've given herself the right to let her tears fall, again. Her head was pounding because of all the crying she'd done the night before, but what really was killing her was the ache in her chest, for her father. "He did it all. He sent those articles to Phillip so that I'd see them and leave her. That was his plan all along. He really hurt her, Esme. My Dad, he _hurt_ her."

Esme pulled her fingers through her hair and then held her hands out, thinking. "Okay. Okay. Look, maybe it isn't like that, maybe - "

"He broke into her apartment and tried to strangle her", Aurora hissed so loudly that a couple of people looked up at them. She turned her back towards them and lowered her head. "She had an actual cut on her forehead and there were marks around her neck! He had a gun, Esme. He had a gun, he's a freaking contractor, I mean, what the hell?"

Esme still kept her hands up and waved them, as if the answer to their problem was going to fall right into her arms. "Okay. Okay. Well - "

"Can you stop saying 'okay'?!" Aurora yelled. This time, people actually stopped. "This is not okay, this is fucked up, he's my Dad!"

"Well, have you _called_ him?" Esme pushed, embarrassed about the scene Aurora was creating right in the middle of their classmates.

"She has my phone", Aurora whispered between her teeth.

"She… what?"

Aurora shrugged the question off and leaned her head against one of the gray lockers and took a couple of deep breaths. "My Mom is dead, my Dad just tried to kill my girlfriend. I mean, _what's_ next?"

Esme had grown awfully quiet and was staring past Aurora, at the end of the hallway, at the connecting doors to the corridor that led to the cafeteria. Her olive eyes had grown wide and she'd lowered one of her hands, but the other one was now pointing in the direction she was looking. Frowning, Aurora stared at her friend. Esme gulped. "I believe _that's_ next."

"What are you…?" Aurora turned to look at what Esme was pointing at, and she felt herself positively freeze. The doors at the end of the hallway had opened, and out walked two figures in stylish suits, both tailored, both perfect. Aurora's eyes immediately travelled to her lover. She'd seen her in the morning, but now she really saw her. Maleficent was dressed in leather boots, skintight pants and a white top, on which she wore a black jacket together with an open, black tie. One of her hands was brushing her hair behind her sharp ears, and her other hand… was linked with someone else's.

Next to Maleficent was the only person whose beauty Aurora could compare with Maleficent's herself; reddish, beautiful strands lowered onto slender shoulders, covered by a tight jacket, on top of a black top showing off her cleavage. She wore tight, black trousers with high heels that laced themselves around her ankles, making her look far taller than she really was. When Aurora's eyes locked on the woman's face, she recognized her; she'd seen her in the photograph in the article Maleficent had left her. She had sweet, deep dimples and insanely white teeth with a few freckles beneath her azure eyes. She kept her body tightly close to Maleficent's and was carrying two cups of coffee; one in her free hand and the other in the hand of the arm that she'd linked with Aurora's lover.

When the women were only twelve lockers away, Esme couldn't help but tug at Aurora's sleeve. "You're seeing what I'm seeing, right?"

Aurora bit her lower lip, eyes on the physical contact between Maleficent and the redhead. "I sure am", she hissed between gritted teeth.

"That's like…" Esme gaped, unable to shut up. "A whole new level of hotness."

"_Give me strength_", Aurora whispered to herself when the women were only a few feet away. She tried to push it down, but jealousy immediately lodged itself in her chest.

Maleficent locked eyes with Aurora and her face became serious for only a few seconds before she smiled again, and then stopped walking, making Emmanuelle stop next to her. The redhead looked at her friend, and then at the two girls staring at them. Maleficent took one of the cups from Emmanuelle and put her hand on her friend's lower back. "Emmanuelle, I'd like you to meet these two fine, young women." She looked at Esme first and wanted to laugh when she saw the girl's horrified expression. "This is Esmeralda Loveridge, one of Harry's students and I believe that she will be in your class as well."

Emmanuelle smiled widely and eyed the brunette in front of her. When she didn't move, she reached out her hand, and Esme finally took it, shaking. "Emmanuelle Jaillet", she said sweetly, looking deep into the girl's olive eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise", Esme gasped, her hand almost limp in the redhead's. Beside her, Aurora wore a suspicious look as she eyed the woman from head to toe.

When Maleficent decided that Esme wasn't going to snap out of her state, she cleared her throat and looked at Aurora. She was surprised to find that the blonde was staring intently at Emmanuelle instead of her. "And this is Aurora Briars", she said softly.

Emmanuelle couldn't let go of Esme's hand any faster; she immediately spun to eye the blonde, who was indifferently leaning against one of the lockers. Just like Aurora, Emmanuelle eyed the girl and then grinned, raising her hand. Aurora reluctantly took it and shook it a bit too hard; she saw Emmanuelle's eyes dart down to their hands and was certain that the woman was silently judging her. "Nice to meet you, _Aurora_."

Aurora inhaled and shot a look at Maleficent before meeting the new teacher's eyes. "Likewise, Miss Jaillet."

"Mm", Emmanuelle sighed, still holding the girl's hand. "It really is a _shame_ that I won't be seeing you in my class." She leaned a little closer, but Aurora didn't budge. "I'm certain that you and I would have a lot of _fun_."

Beside them, Maleficent began feeling rather uncomfortable, realizing that there was an immediate power-play between the two women. She had not expected it, even though she knew that Emmanuelle was _delighted_ to meet the girl who'd turned her world around. Coughing, she finally got Emmanuelle to let go of Aurora's hand, but the girl still didn't smile. Next to them, Esme was still gaping at the redhead. Emmanuelle's and Aurora's eyes were still locked, exchanging silent words between them.

"So", Emmanuelle said sharply, eyes moving to Esme for a second. "Do you girls have dates for the Thanksgiving Ball yet?" Behind her, Maleficent frowned. She just _had to_, didn't she?

Aurora let out a soft breath. The Thanksgiving Ball. It was coming up next month, and she hadn't even thought about it. It was one of the biggest events of the year; the auditorium would be turned into a ball room, with live bands or a disc-jockey, and all the students and the faculty were invited. Last year, she'd gone with Phillip, naturally, but now she had no idea. She shook her head, and Esme did the same, although Aurora suspected that she would be going with John.

Maleficent took a step between them and smiled sweetly at Aurora. "I'd like to see you in my office for a moment, Miss Briars", she said calmly, studying the girl. Aurora finally looked away from Emmanuelle and gave Maleficent a faint smile before she moved away from the lockers, waiting. Maleficent turned towards her friend, and nodded towards Esme. "Why don't you show our new teacher here around a little bit? So far, she's only seen my office and the cafeteria."

Aurora clenched her jaw. Why had Emmanuelle been in Maleficent's office? Her gut told her not to feel too threatened, but there was just something about the way the two women had walked next to each other. It didn't help that Maleficent had spent the weekend - the weekend when they'd fought - at the same woman's place in New York, miles away.

Esme mumbled something incoherent and gestured Emmanuelle to follow her. The redhead shot one last look at Maleficent, grinning, before she walked away with the overly uncomfortable student.

Aurora and Maleficent walked in silence, with the blonde after the brunette. They descended the stairs to the basement and Maleficent unlocked her door, then entered with Aurora behind her. As soon as she shut the door, she swept the tiny blonde into her arms, hugging her tightly. Aurora let out a breath as her hands shot around her teacher's waist, inhaling her closeness; the closeness that seemed to take everything else away.

"You looked rather grumpy out there", Maleficent whispered into the blond tresses and she breathed in the girl's intoxicating scent. "Are you not feeling better?"

"No, I am", Aurora whispered in return, leaning her head onto Maleficent's shoulder but keeping her eyes open as she spoke. "I'm just… beat, you know. I still don't know what to think."

Maleficent let go of the girl and reached into her jacket pocket. She pulled out Aurora's cellphone and gave it to the girl. "Here, have this. Just don't call him, all right? Not yet."

Aurora took her phone and nodded. She clicked on the power button, but all there was on the screen were two missed calls from Esme, from last night. Suddenly, her throat was tight and she looked up at the emerald eyes burning into hers. "I'm so sorry about what he did to you. He must not understand how I feel about you, or he would never - "

Maleficent hushed her and cupped her face, and then leaned in to kiss her cold forehead. "People do horrible things when they panic. You are not responsible for your father's actions. Only he is."

Aurora admitted that Maleficent was right, although she hated to do so since they were talking about _her_ father. Sighing, she finally closed her eyes and leaned into the woman's arms, letting herself go completely. Maleficent welcomed her touch and opened her arms wide once more, holding the girl closer than ever. Softly, and then all at once, she'd opened herself up for Aurora. It wasn't about coveting anymore - or even about mending something that was broken; it felt like home. Aurora felt like _home_, and she relished in the love she felt in Aurora's arms.

"I'll tell you what", Maleficent whispered. "When we get home, tonight, I'll cook you something delicious." She paused and rolled her eyes. "Or, you'll cook after I've destroyed whatever I was trying to cook, and then…" Hands on Aurora's shoulders, she leaned back to look the girl in the eyes. Sapphire blues were filled with glistening tears. "Then we'll cuddle on the sofa and watch something funny together. Can I count on you?"

Aurora let out a giggle and brought her hands up to the ones that were holding her. Somehow, Maleficent's warmth melted the recently formed ice in her chest. "You can always count on me."


End file.
